Pullulanase

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a heat-stable pullulanase having the property of hydrolysing glucosidic bonds of the α- 1,6 type in amylopectin and having an enzymatic activity in an acid medium and at a temperature of about 60° C. 
     The invention also relates to strains of microorganisms which produce this pullulanase and processes for the preparation of this pullulanase. 
     The invention also relates to the uses thereof and compositions comprising the product. 
     The invention also relates to a DNA molecule. The invention relates to an expression vector containing this DNA molecule and to a chromosomal integration vector containing this DNA molecule.

This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/174,893, filed Dec. 28, 1993 now abandoned.

The invention relates to a new pullulanase. The invention also relates to a new strain of microorganisms which produce this pullulanase and the processes for the preparation of this pullulanase. The invention also relates to uses thereof and compositions comprising this product. The invention also relates to a DNA molecule containing the gene of this pullulanase and to an expression vector containing this DNA molecule, which can be used to express pullulanase in Bacillus strains.

Starch, the essential constituents of which are amylose and amylopectin, can be converted into simple sugars by an enzymatic process carried out in two stages: one stage of liquefaction of the starch and one stage of saccharification of the liquefied starch. In order to obtain a high conversion level of the starch, it has already been proposed to add an enzyme which hydrolyses α-1,6-glucosidic bonds, such as, for example, a pullulanase, during the saccharification of the liquefied starch.

European Patent 0 063 909 describes a so-called debranching enzyme, that is to say an enzyme which is capable of hydrolysing the α-1,6-glucosidic bonds in amylopectin, which has a pullulanase activity and has an optimum activity at a pH of 4-5 at 60° C. This enzyme is derived from a strain of Bacillus acidopullulyticus.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,055,403 furthermore has proposed a pullulanase which has an enzymatic activity in an acid medium and is derived from a strain of Bacillus naganoensis. This enzyme has a maximum activity at a pH of about 5, measured at 60° C., and a maximum activity at a temperature of about 62.5° C., measured at a pH of 4.5.

Although active at acid pH and at a temperature of about 60° C. and therefore suitable for use in the saccharification of liquefied starch, the pullulanases of the prior art have the disadvantage of having a very low stability under such temperature and pH conditions, their half-life at a temperature of 60° C. and at a pH of about 4.5 in the absence of substrate not exceeding a few tens of minutes.

There is consequently currently a demand for a pullulanase which can be used in the saccharification of liquefied starch and is very stable within a wide temperature and pH range, in particular at a temperature of about 60° C. and at a pH of about 4.5.

The object of the present invention is to provide a new pullulanase which is active at an acid pH, has a heat stability at an acid pH which is very greatly superior to that. of the pullulanases of the prior art and has a half-life of several hours under the abovementioned conditions.

The object of the present invention is also to identify, isolate and provide a strain, and particularly a Bacillus strain, which naturally produces the said pullulanase.

The object of the present invention is also to isolate and provide a nucleotide sequence which codes for the said pullulanase.

The object of the present invention is also to prepare and provide an expression vector and a chromosomal integration vector containing the nucleotide sequence which codes for the said pullulanase.

The object of the present invention is also to prepare and provide a Bacillus host transformed with the expression vector or the integration vector containing the nucleotide sequence of the strain of Bacillus which codes for the said pullulanase.

To this effect, the invention relates to a pullulanase produced by a Bacillus, and more particularly by an aerobic and non-thermophilic microorganism, such as Bacillus deramificans. Bacillus deramificans T 89.117D or a derivative or mutant of this strain of Bacillus deramificans are preferably employed.

The isolated and purified pullulanase is preferably made up of a single type of polypeptide having a molecular weight of about 100 (±10) kDa.

Moreover, the N-terminal sequence (SEQ ID NO:1) of the said pullulanase is as follows, in the amino-carboxyl sense and from left to right: ##STR1##

The invention relates to an isolated and purified pullulanase comprising the amino acid sequence of 1 to 928 amino acids (SEQ ID NO:11) or a modified sequence derived therefrom. This sequence is the complete amino acid sequence of the said pullulanase, as illustrated in FIGS. 4 (4a to 4f).

The complete nucleotide sequence (SEQ ID NO:10) which codes for pullulanase and its translation into amino acids is given in FIG. 4.

Particularly preferably, the said pullulanase has an isoelectric point of between 4.1 and 4.5.

The pullulanase according to the invention is heat stable and active in a wide temperature range. The pullulanase is active at an acid pH.

The said pullulanase is capable of catalysing the hydrolysis of α-1,6-glucosidic bonds present both in amylopectin and in pullulane. It is therefore a so-called deramifying or debranching enzyme. The said pullulanase is preferably capable of hydrolysing glucosidic bonds of the α-1,6 type in amylopectin.

The pullulanase according to the invention preferably breaks down pullulane into maltotriose and amylopectin into amylose.

Moreover, the pullulanase of the present invention hydrolyses amylopectin to form oligosaccharides (maltooligosaccharides). During this hydrolysis, the formation of oligosaccharides made up of about 13 glucose units (degree of polymerization of 13, this molecule is also called "chain A") is observed, followed by the formation of oligosaccharides made up of about 47 glucose units (degree of polymerization of 47, this molecule is also called "chain B").

The oligosaccharides with chains A and B are defined with reference to D. J. MANNERS ("Structural Analysis of Starch components by Debranching Enzymes" in "New Approaches to research on Cereal Carbohydrates", Amsterdam, 1985, pages 45-54) and B. E. ENEVOLDSEN ("Aspects of the fine structure of starch" in "New Approaches to research on Cereal Carbohydrates", Amsterdam, 1985, pages 55-60).

The pullulanase of the present invention preferably hydrolyses potato amylopectin. This hydrolysis can be carried out with an aqueous suspension of amylopectin in the presence of the pullulanase under the conditions of optimum activity of the pullulanase, that is to say at a temperature of about 60° C. and at a pH of about 4.3.

The pullulanase of the present invention catalyses the condensation reaction of maltose to form tetraholo-sides sides (oligosaccharides having 4 glucose units).

The pullulanase of the invention has a half-life of about 55 hours, measured at a temperature of about 60° C. in a solution buffered at a pH of about 4.5 and in the absence of substrate.

Half-life means that the pullulanase shows a relative enzymatic activity of at least 50%, measured after an incubation of 55 hours at a temperature of about 60° C. in a solution buffered at a pH of about 4.5 and in the absence of substrate.

The pullulanase according to the invention is heat stable at an acid pH. In fact, the pullulanase according to the invention shows a relative enzymatic activity of at least 55%, measured after an incubation of 40 hours at a temperature of 60° C. in a solution buffered at a pH of about 4.5 and in the absence of substrate. It shows a relative enzymatic activity of at least 70%, measured after an incubation of 24 hours under these same conditions.

Relative enzymatic activity means the ratio between the enzymatic activity measured in the course of a test carried out under the given pH, temperature, substrate and duration conditions, and the maximum enzymatic activity measured in the course of this same test, the enzymatic activity being measured starting from the hydrolysis of pullulane and the maximum enzymatic activity being fixed arbitrarily at the value of 100.

The pullulanase according to the invention is furthermore stable in a wide range of acid pH values.

Under the conditions described below, it is active at a pH greater than or equal to 3. In fact, the said pullulanase shows a relative enzymatic activity of at least 85%, measured after an incubation of 60 minutes at a temperature of about 60° C. in the absence of substrate and in a pH range greater than or equal to about 3.5.

Under the conditions described below, it is active at a pH of less than or equal to 7. In fact, the said pullulanase shows a relative enzymatic activity of at least 85%, measured after an incubation of 60 minutes at a temperature of about 60° C. in the absence of substrate and in a pH range less than or equal to about 5.8.

It preferably shows a relative enzymatic activity of greater than 90%, measured in a pH range of between about 3.8 and about 5 under these same conditions.

The pullulanase according to the invention develops an optimum enzymatic activity, measured at a temperature of about 60° C. in a pH range greater than 4.0. The pullulanase according to the invention develops an optimum enzymatic activity, measured at a temperature of about 0° C. in a pH range less than 4.8. The said pullulanase preferably develops an optimum enzymatic activity, measured at a temperature of about 60° C. at a pH of about 4.3.

The pullulanase according to the invention furthermore develops an optimum enzymatic activity, measured at a pH of about 4.3, in a temperature range of between 55° and 65° C. and more particularly at 60° C.

The pullulanase according to the invention develops an enzymatic activity of more than 80% of the maximum enzymatic activity (the maximum enzymatic activity being measured at a temperature of 60° C. and at a pH of 4.3) in a pH range between about 3.8 and about 4.9 at a temperature of about 60° C.

The pullulanase according to the invention furthermore has all the appropriate properties compatible with actual industrial conditions of saccharification of starch. These properties are an optimum pH of less than 5, an optimum temperature at about 60° C. and a good stability of the enzyme under these conditions of acid pH and elevated temperature. The acid medium is imposed by the simultaneous use of glucoamylase and pullulanase in the industrial saccharification of starch. In fact, the glucoamylase used for saccharification of starch is generally produced by a fungus and in particular by an Aspergillus strain, such as Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus awamori or Aspergillus foetidus. The ideal conditions which are suitable for saccharification of liquefied starch in the presence of a glucoamylase are a temperature of about 60° C. and a pH of about 4.0 to 4.5. This is the case, in particular, for the glucoamylase sold under the trade names DIAZYME® L-200 by SOLVAY ENZYMES (Elkhart, United States) and OPTIDEX® by SOLVAY ENZYMES (Hanover, Germany). Furthermore, the saccharification stage lasts several hours, in general 40 to 60 hours, and it is essential that the enzymes used are stable, active and effective throughout this stage, and these enzymes should therefore have a high heat stability in an acid medium and the longest possible half-life. For this reason, the pullulanase of the present invention is more effective than the known pullulanases.

The present invention also relates to a process for the production of a pullulanase which comprises culture of an aerobic (and non-thermophilic) bacterium which is capable of producing pullulanase in a suitable nutrient medium containing sources of carbon and nitrogen and mineral salts under aerobiotic conditions, and harvesting of the pullulanase thus obtained. This culture medium may be solid or liquid. The culture medium is preferably liquid.

The present invention also relates to a process for the production of a pullulanase which comprises culture of the strain Bacillus deramificans T 89.117D (LMG P-13056) or a derivative of this strain which is capable of producing pullulanase in a suitable nutrient medium containing sources of carbon and nitrogen and mineral salts under aerobiotic conditions, and harvesting of the pullulanase thus obtained.

The culture conditions for these bacteria, such as the components of the culture medium, culture parameters, temperature, pH, aeration and stirring, are well-known to the expert.

The sources of carbon in the culture medium are usually chosen from starch, partially hydrolysed starch, soluble starch, oligosaccharides, glucose, amylose, amylopectin or a mixture of two or more of these. The sources of carbon in the culture medium are preferably chosen from partially hydrolysed starch, pullulane, glucose or a mixture of these. Good results have been obtained with glucose and partially hydrolysed starch. The sources of nitrogen in the culture medium are usually chosen from yeast extract, soya flour, cottonseed flour, fish meal, gelatin, potato flour or a mixture of two or more of these. The sources of nitrogen in the culture medium are preferably chosen from yeast extract, soya flour or a mixture of these. Good results have been obtained with yeast extract. The mineral salts in the culture medium are generally chosen, with respect to the anions, from chloride, carbonate, phosphate and sulphate, and, with respect to the cations, from potassium, sodium, ammonium, magnesium, calcium or a mixture of two or more of these. Good results have been obtained with a mixture of the following salts: KH₂ PO₄, K₂ HPO₄.3H₂ O, (NH₄)₂ SO₄, MgCl₂.6H₂ O and CaCl₂.2H₂ O.

Culture is generally carried out at a temperature of between 20° and 45° C. preferably between 25° and 40° C.

Culture is generally carried out at a pH of between 3.5 and 6, preferably between 4 and 6.

Culture is carried out under aerobiotic conditions in the presence of air or oxygen and while stirring.

The techniques for harvesting the pullulanase produced are well known to the expert. Centrifugation, ultrafiltration, evaporation, precipitation, filtration, microfiltration, crystallization or a combination of one or other of these techniques, such as centrifugation followed by ultrafiltration, is usually employed.

The pullulanase can then be purified, if necessary. The techniques for purification of enzymes are known to the expert, such as, in particular, precipitation with the aid of a salt such as ammonium sulphate, or a solvent such as, chiefly, acetone.

The pullulanase can also be dried by spraying or lyophilization.

The present invention also relates to identification and provision of a new isolated aerobic bacterium which produces pullulanase. Generally, this belongs to the family of Bacillaceae. It preferably belongs to the Bacillus genus. The said Bacillus is particularly preferably the strain Bacillus deramificans T 89.117D or a derivative or mutant of this strain.

Derivative or mutant of this strain means any naturally or artificially modified bacterium. The derivatives of this strain can be obtained by known modification techniques, such as ultra-violet radiation, X-rays, mutagenic agents or genetic engineering.

The strain Bacillus deramificans T 89.117D has been deposited in the collection called BELGIAN COORDINATED COLLECTIONS OF MICROORGANISMS (LMG culture collection, University of Ghent, Laboratory of Microbiology-K. L. Ledeganckstraat 35, B-9000 GHENT, Belgium) in accordance with the Treaty of Budapest under number LMG P-13056 on 9 Dec. 1992. The invention thus relates to an isolated and purified culture of Bacillus deramificans T 89.117D and a derived or mutated culture thereof.

The strain of the present invention has been identified by its biochemical characteristics: a Gram-positive, aerobic, rod-shaped bacterium which forms an endospore.

The invention also relates to the isolation and provision of a DNA molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence (SEQ ID NO:10) which codes for the pullulanase of Bacillus deramificans T 89.117D (LMG P-13056) or a modified sequence derived therefrom. This DNA molecule preferably comprises the entire gene of the pullulanase of Bacillus deramificans T 89.117D. The entire gene of the pullulanase means at least the transcription promoter(s), the signal sequence(s), the nucleotide sequence which codes for the mature pullulanase and the transcription terminator(s).

The DNA molecule according to the invention comprises at least the nucleotide sequence (SEQ ID NO:10) which codes for the mature pullulanase of Bacillus deramificans T 89.117D (LMG P-13056) and its signal sequence (presequence) (SEQ ID NO:13). This DNA molecule preferably comprises the entire gene of the pullulanase of Bacillus deramificans T 89.117D. Good results have been obtained with a DNA molecule comprising the nucleotide sequence (SEQ ID NO:8). The nucleotide sequence (SEQ ID NO:8) is made up of, in the amino-carboxyl sense and from left to right, the nucleotide sequence (SEQ ID NO:14), the nucleotide sequence (SEQ ID NO:13), the nucleotide sequence (SEQ ID NO:10) and the nucleotide sequence (SEQ ID NO:15).

The pullulanase of the invention is synthesized in the form of a precursor containing an additional sequence of 29 amino acids (SEQ ID NO:12).

The invention also relates to a modified pullulanase, that is to say an enzyme in which the amino acid sequence differs from that of the wild enzyme by at least one amino acid. These modifications can be obtained by the conventional techniques of mutagenesis on DNA, such as exposure to ultra-violet radiation, or to chemical products, such as sodium nitrite or O-methylhydroxylamine, or by genetic-engineering techniques, such as, for example, site-directed mutagenesis or random mutagenesis.

The invention also relates to a mutated pullulanase obtained by modification of the nucleotide sequence of the gene which codes for the pullulanase defined above. The techniques for obtaining such mutated pullulanases are known to the expert and are described in particular in Molecular Cloning--a laboratory manual--SAMBROOK, FRITSCH, MANIATIS--second edition, 1989, in chapter 15.

The invention also relates to the preparation and provision of an expression vector containing the DNA molecule which comprises the nucleotide sequence which codes for the pullulanase of Bacillus deramificans T 89.117D. The DNA molecule preferably comprises the structural gene which codes for the mature pullulanase of Bacillus deramificans T 89.117D. This vector is particularly preferably the vector pUBDEBRA1. Good results have also been obtained with the vector pUBCDEBRA11.

Expression vector means any DNA sequence which comprises a replicon and other DNA regions (nucleotide sequences) and which functions independently of the host as a complete gene expression unit.

Complete gene expression unit means the structural gene and the promoter region(s) and the regulation region(s) necessary for transcription and translation. Structural gene means the coding sequence which is used for transcription into RNA and allows synthesis of the protein by the host.

The preferred expression vector is the vector pUBDEBRA1. This vector contains the gene which codes for the pullulanase of the strain Bacillus deramificans T 89.117D according to the invention. This vector can be introduced into a suitable host. This host is generally a strain of Bacillus. This host is preferably a strain of Bacillus licheniformis. This host is particularly preferably a strain of Bacillus licheniformis SE2. Excellent results have been obtained with this vector when it is introduced into the strain Bacillus licheniformis SE2 delap1, used as the host.

The invention also relates to the preparation and provision of a chromosomal integration vector containing the DNA molecule which comprises the nucleotide sequence which codes for the pullulanase of Bacillus deramificans T 89.117D. The DNA molecule preferably comprises the structural gene which codes for the mature pullulanase of Bacillus deramificans T 89.117D. This chromosomal integration vector is particularly preferably the vector pUBCDEBRA11DNSI.

The present invention also relates to recombinant strains in which the said gene which codes for pullulanase is introduced by genetic-engineering techniques. The gene can be introduced on a plasmid by an expression vector or integrated into the host chromosome in one or more copies by a chromosomal integration vector.

The invention also relates to the strains of microorganisms which are different from the starting producer organism and in which the nucleotides which code for the pullulanase are introduced by transformation, either in a form integrated in the chromosomal DNA or in autoreplicative form (plasmid).

The invention relates to the transformed strain of Bacillus licheniformis which comprises the DNA molecule described above. The invention relates to the transformed strain of Bacillus licheniformis which comprises the expression vector or the chromosomal integration vector which comprises this DNA molecule. The invention preferably relates to the transformed strain of Bacillus licheniformis which comprises the expression vector pUBDEBRA1 or the chromosomal integration vector pUBCDEBRA11DNSI.

The invention also relates to a process for the preparation of a pullulanase starting from a recombinant organism, the process comprising isolation of a DNA fragment which codes for pullulanase, insertion of this DNA fragment into a suitable vector, introduction of this vector into a suitable host or introduction of this DNA fragment into the chromosome of a suitable host, culture of this host, expression of the pullulanase and harvesting of the pullulanase. The suitable host is generally chosen from the group comprising Escherichia coli, Bacillus or Aspergillus microorganisms. The host is usually chosen from the Bacilli. The host is preferably chosen from (aerobic) microorganisms of the genus Bacillus. The host is particularly preferably chosen from the microorganisms Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus alcalophilus, Bacillus pumilus, Bacillus lentus, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens or Bacillus deramificans T 89.117D (LMG P-13056).

Good results have been obtained when the host for expression of the pullulanase according to the present invention is a recombinant strain derived from Bacillus licheniformis, and preferably the strain Bacillus licheniformis SE2 delap1.

The strain of Bacillus licheniformis SE2 was deposited on 21 Jun. 1993 in the collection called BELGIAN COORDINATED COLLECTIONS OF MICROORGANISMS (LMG culture collection, Ghent, Belgium) in accordance with the Treaty of Budapest under number LMG P-14034.

The transformed strain SE2 delap1 thus obtained from Bacillus licheniformis SE2 differs from the parent strain by the sole fact that it does not contain in its chromosome the DNA sequence which codes for the mature protease.

The invention also relates to a pullulanase produced in a heterologous manner by a microoganism of the genus Bacillus which contains a gene which codes for an alkaline protease in the wild state. This microorganism is preferably a strain of Bacillus licheniformis comprising the DNA molecule which comprises the nucleotide sequence which codes for the pullulanase of Bacillus deramificans T 89.117D. The gene which codes for the alkaline protease has particularly preferably been deleted from this strain of Bacillus. This strain is preferably the strain Bacillus licheniformis SE2 delap1.

Produced in a heterologous manner means production which is not effected by the natural microorganism, that is to say the microorganism which contains, in the wild state, the gene which codes for the pullulanase.

The pullulanase according to the invention has several outlets in various industries, such as, for example, the food industry, the pharmaceuticals industry or the chemical industry.

The pullulanase can in particular be used in baking as an "anti-staling" agent, that is to say as an additive to prevent bread becoming stale during storage, or in brewing during production of low-calorie beers.

The pullulanase can also be used in the preparation of low-calorie foods in which amylose is used as a substitute for fats.

The pullulanase can also be used to hydrolyse amylopectin and to form oligosaccharides starting from this amylopectin.

The pullulanase can also be used to form tetraholosides starting from maltose.

The pullulanase can also be used to condense mono- or oligo-saccharides, creating bonds of the alpha-1,6 type.

The pullulanase can be used, for example, to clarify fruit juices.

The pullulanase can be used for liquefaction of starch.

For food applications, the pullulanase can be immobilized on a support. The techniques for immobilization of enzymes are well known to the expert.

The pullulanase according to the invention is particularly suitable for treatment of starch and pullulane.

The invention relates to the use of the pullulanase for saccharification of liquefied starch.

The present invention also relates to the use of the pullulanase in a process for breaking down starch or partially hydrolysed starch comprising a stage of saccharification of the starch or the partially hydrolysed starch in the presence of a pullulanase. This process is in general carried out in the presence of one or more other enzymes, such as glucoamylase, α-amylase, β-amylase, α-glucosidase or other saccharifying enzymes.

Given its biochemical properties, the pullulanase according to the present invention allows the saccharification stage to be carried out under strongly acid conditions, that is to say down to a pH of at least 3.9. This pH is more acid than that which is acceptable to the known pullulanases.

Given its biochemical properties, the pullulanase according to the present invention allows the saccharification stage to be carried out at relatively high temperatures, that is to say up to at least a temperature of 65° C.

Addition of the pullulanase according to the present invention to the saccharification medium allows the content of glucose in the final composition obtained to be increased and therefore the yield of the reaction to be increased.

Moreover, addition of the pullulanase of the present invention to the saccharification medium allows the saccharification period to be reduced.

The pullulanase of the present invention allows a high starch conversion level to be achieved.

Furthermore, during the saccharification stage, it is possible for a large proportion (at least 60%) of the glucoamylase usually used to be replaced by the pullulanase of the present invention without affecting the yield of glucose. This replacement is particularly advantageous, and in fact it allows the amount of by-products usually obtained to be reduced considerably. Since the glucoamylase is present in a small proportion, it is unable to catalyse the synthesis reaction of oligosaccharides (containing α-1,6 bonds) starting from glucose; under the normal conditions, glucoamylase catalyses this inverse reaction of oligosaccharide synthesis when high concentrations of dextrose are reached in the saccharification medium, which limits the starch conversion level.

Furthermore, the pullulanase of the present invention allows a concentrated saccharification medium, that is to say a medium having a high content of liquefied starch, to be used. This is advantageous from the economic point of view, and in fact allows the evaporation costs to be reduced.

The present invention also relates to enzymatic compositions comprising the pullulanase according to the invention.

The compositions comprising the pullulanase of the present invention can be used in the solid or liquid form.

The pullulanase is formulated according to the intended uses. Stabilizers or preservatives can also be added to the enzymatic compositions comprising the pullulanase according to the invention. For example, the pullulanase can be stabilized by addition of propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, glycerol, starch, pullulane, a sugar, such as glucose and sorbitol, a salt, such as sodium chloride, calcium chloride, potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate, or a mixture of two or more of these products. Good results have been obtained with propylene glycol. Good results have been obtained with a mixture of starch, sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate.

The enzymatic compositions according to the invention can also comprise, in addition to the pullulanase, one or more other enzymes. Such enzymes are, in particular, carbohydrate hydrolases, such as, for example, glucoamylase, α-amylase, β-amylase, α-glucosidase, isoamylase, cyclomaltodextrin glucotransferase, β-glucanase and glucose isomerase, saccharifying enzymes, enzymes which cleave glucosidic bonds or a mixture of two or more of these.

The present invention preferably relates to an enzymatic composition comprising a glucoamylase and a pullulanase.

FIG. 1 shows the restriction map of the plasmid pUBDEBRA1.

FIG. 2 shows the restriction map of the plasmid pLD1.

FIG. 3 shows the restriction map of the plasmid pUBCDEBRA11DNSI.

FIG. 4 (FIGS. 4a to 4f) shows the nucleotide sequence (SEQ ID NO:10) which codes for the mature pullulanase, and its translation into amino acids (SEQ ID NO:11).

FIG. 5 (FIGS. 5a to 5g) shows the nucleotide sequence (SEQ ID NO:8) of the DNA fragment from the BamHI site to the PstI site of the plasmid pUBCDEBRA11, and the translation into amino acids (SEQ ID NO:9) of signal and mature sequences of the pullulanase. The nucleotides which have not been determined with certainty have been shown by the symbol N.

The meaning of the symbols and abbreviations used in these figures is summarized in the following table.

    ______________________________________                                         Symbol                                                                         Abbreviation Meaning                                                           ______________________________________                                         ORIEC        Replication origin in E. coli                                     REP          Protein required for replication                                  ORI+         Replication origin of the + strand                                ORI-         Replication origin of the - strand                                KMR          Gene carrying resistance to kanamycin                             BLMR         Gene carrying resistance to bleomycin                             AMPR         Gene carrying resistance to amplicillin                           PP           Pre/pro sequence                                                  BLIAPR       Sequence which codes for the alkaline                                          protease of B. licheniformis                                      5'BLIAPR     5' sequence situated before the sequence                                       which codes for the alkaline protease of                                       B. licheniformis                                                  3'BLIAPR     3' sequence situated after the sequence                                        which codes for the alkaline protease of                                       B. licheniformis                                                  BDEPUL       Sequence which codes for the pullulanase                                       of B. deramificans                                                ______________________________________                                    

The present invention is illustrated by the following examples.

EXAMPLE 1

Isolation and characterization of the strain of Bacillus deramificans

The strain Bacillus deramificans T 89.117D was isolated from soil on an agar-agar nutrient medium and selected for its ability to break down a coloured derivative of pullulane known by the name AZCL-pullulane and sold by the company MEGAZYME.

This strain was cultured at 37° C. in MYE growth medium, the composition of which is as follows: KH₂ PO₄ 33 mM; K₂ HPO₄.2H₂ O 6 mM; (NH₄)₂ SO₄ 45 mM; MgCl₂.6H₂ O 1 mM; CaCl₂.2H₂ O 1 mM; yeast extract 0.5% (weight/volume); glucose 0.5% (weight/volume). The pH of the medium is adjusted to pH 4.5 with H₃ PO₄.

The agar-agar medium (MYE/agar) additionally comprises 2% (weight/volume) of agar.

The strain of the present invention was identified by its biochemical characteristics: Gram-positive, aerobic, rod-shaped bacterium which forms an endospore. It thus belongs to the Bacillus genus.

The vegetative cells of this strain in a culture on MYE medium at 37° C. have the form of a bacillus of size 0.7×3.0-3.5 μm. The motility of the vegetative cells is low.

After growth for three days at 37° C. on the MYE medium, microscopic observation reveals the presence of slightly deformed and elliptical (sub)terminal sporangia.

The catalase test is weakly positive in the presence of 10% of hydrogen peroxide. The oxidase test is positive in the presence of 1% of tetramethyl-1,4-phenylenediammonium dichloride.

This strain is aerobic, that is to say it develops under aerobiosis. It does not develop under anaerobiosis, that is to say under an atmosphere of 84% (v/v) of N₂, (v/v) of CO₂ and 8% (v/v) of H₂ at 37° C., but on the other hand it develops under microanaerobiosis, that is to say under an atmosphere of 82.5% (v/v) of N₂, 6% (v/v) of O₂, 7.5% (v/v) of H₂ and 4% (v/v) of CO₂ at 37° C. The abbreviation % (v/v) represents a percentage expressed as volume per volume.

This strain is not thermophilic. It shows normal development after incubation in MYE medium at 20° C., 30° C. 37° C. and 45° C., but on the other hand it does not develop at 50° C. and 55° C. It shows normal development after incubation in MYE medium buffered with phosphate buffer to the following pH values: pH 4.0, pH 4.5, pH 5.0 and pH 5.5, but on the other hand it does not develop at pH 7.0. It shows normal development after incubation in MYE medium in the presence of NaCl at concentrations of 2.0% (w/v) and 3.5% (w/v), shows weak development in the presence of 5.0% (w/v) of NaCl and does not develop in the presence of 7.0% (w/v) of NaCl. The abbreviation % (w/v) represents a percentage expressed as weight per volume.

This strain does not hydrolyse casein: in fact, no lysis zone could be observed after more than 2 weeks of incubation at 37° C. It decomposes tyrosine slightly, does not produce acetoin from pyruvate and does not reduce nitrate to nitrite or to N₂.

The strain Bacillus deramificans T 89.117D according to the invention is taxonomically different from the strain of Bacillus acidopullulyticus described in European Patent 0 063 909 and from the strain of Bacillus naganoensis described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,055,403. The strain Bacillus deramificans T 89.117D shows growth at a pH of between 4.7 and 5.5, shows no growth at a pH of 7.0, develops in the presence of 3.5% (w/v) of NaCl decomposes tyrosine and does not reduce nitrate to nitrite.

The strain Bacillus deramificans T 89.117D has been deposited in the collection called the BELGIAN COORDINATED COLLECTIONS OF MICROORGANISMS (LMG culture collection) under number LMG P-13056.

EXAMPLE 2

Preparation of pullulanase

The strain Bacillus deramificans T 89.117D is cultured in a liquid medium (MYA), the composition of which is identical to that of the MYE medium except that the content of yeast extract and glucose is replaced by starch, that is to say:

Yeast extract 2.5% (w/v)

Potato starch 2.5% (w/v).

The culture is carried out while stirring, with effective aeration, at a temperature of 37° C.

After 68 hours of culture, the pullulanase and the cell biomass are separated by centrifugation (5000 revolutions per minute for 30 minutes, BECKMAN JA-10). The pullulanase produced by the strain Bacillus deramificans T 89.117D is extracellular.

The pullulanase is then concentrated by ultrafiltration (AMICON S10 Y10 membrane) to obtain a concentrated aqueous solution of pullulanase.

The enzymatic activity of the solution obtained is measured.

One enzymatic unit of pullulanase (PUN) is defined as the amount of enzyme which, at a pH of 4.5, at a temperature of 60° C. and in the presence of pullulane, catalyses the release of reducing sugars at a rate of 1 μM glucose equivalent per minute.

The pullulanase enzymatic activity is measured in accordance with the following protocol. 1 ml of a 1% strength solution of pullulane in a 50 mM acetate buffer at pH 4.5 is incubated at 60° C. for 10 minutes. 0.1 ml of a solution of pullulanase corresponding to an activity of between 0.2 and 1 PUN/ml is added thereto. The reaction is stopped after 15 minutes by addition of 0.4 ml of 0.5M NaOH. The reducing sugars released are analysed by the method of SOMOGYI-NELSON J. Biol. Chem., 153 (1944) pages 375-380; and J. Biol. Chem., 160 (1945), pages 61-68!, and as in the other examples of this Application.

A second method is used to analyse the pullulanase. The enzymatic reaction in the presence of pullulane is carried out in accordance with the test conditions, and is then stopped by addition of sulphuric acid (0.1N). The hydrolysis products of pullulane are then subjected to HPLC chromatography (HPX-87H column from BIO-RAD; the mobile phase is 10 mM H₂ SO₄) in order to separate the various constituents. The amount of maltotriose formed is estimated by measurement of the area of the peak obtained.

The so-called debranching activity, that is to say the hydrolysis of the α-1,6-glucosidic bonds present in amylopectin, can be quantified by the increase in the blue coloration caused, in the presence of iodine, by the release of amylose from amylopectin.

The debranching enzymatic activity is measured in accordance with the following protocol. 0.4 ml of a 1% strength amylopectin solution containing a 50 mM acetate buffer at pH 4.5 is incubated at 60° C. for 10 minutes. The reaction is initiated by addition of 0.2 ml of pullulanase, and is stopped after 30 minutes by addition of 0.4 ml of 0.3M HCl. 0.8 ml of a 0.0025% (v/v) strength solution of iodine is then added to 0.2 ml of this reaction mixture and the optical density is measured at 565 nm.

In order to purify the pullulanase, the aqueous concentrated solution of pullulanase is diafiltered by 6 portions of 500 ml of an aqueous solution of 9 g/l of NaCl, and the pH of the aqueous solution thus obtained is adjusted to pH 3.5 by addition of 25% (v/v) strength HCl at room temperature. The diafiltration comprises mixing the pullulanase solution with the NaCl solution and then subjecting the solution obtained to ultrafiltration.

The precipitate obtained is removed by centrifugation (5000 revolutions per minute for 30 minutes, BECKMAN JA-10), and the supernatant from the centrifugation is collected. The pH of this supernatant is adjusted to pH 6.0 by addition of 5M NaOH. The precipitate obtained is removed by centrifugation.

The supernatant from the centrifugation is collected and is heated at 55° C. for 15 minutes.

The precipitate formed is removed again by centrifugation (5000 revolutions per minute for 30 minutes, BECKMAN JA-10). The supernatant from the centrifugation is collected.

Acetone is added to this supernatant to a final concentration of 60% (v/v), and the suspension formed is brought to 4° C. over a period of 2 hours. The precipitate formed at 4° C. is dissolved in a buffer of 20 mM MES (2-(N-morpholino)ethanesulphonic acid) and 1 mM CaCl₂ (pH 6.0). This pullulanase solution is called solution A.

This solution A is concentrated again by ion exchange chromatography in order to purify it. A column of about 20 ml internal volume, sold under the trade name S-SEPHAROSE® HP HI LOAD 16/10, is first equilibrated with a buffer of 50 mM CH₃ COONa and 100 mM NaCl (pH 4.0) at a flow rate of 5 ml/minute. Solution A is diluted 10 times in the acetate buffer and 15 ml of this dilute solution are deposited on the column. An isocratic phase is ensured by elution of 80 ml of acetate buffer (100 mM NaCl), followed by elution by 200 ml of 50 mM acetate buffer (pH=4.0) containing a linear gradient of NaCl (100-500 mM).

The pullulanase activity is measured in each fraction.

The most active fractions are combined into a solution called B (12 ml containing 0.025 mg/ml of proteins and having a pullulanase activity of 0.7 PUN/ml).

Starting from this solution B, precipitation is effected with acetone at a final concentration of 80% (v/v). The precipitate obtained is dissolved in a volume of 0.6 ml of buffer comprising 20 mM MES and 1 mM CaCl₂ (pH 6.0).

This pullulanase solution is called solution C.

Solution C has a protein content of 0.4 mg/ml, an enzymatic activity of 12 PUN/ml and a specific activity of PUN/mg.

The results are summarized in Table 1.

                  TABLE 1                                                          ______________________________________                                                             Pullulanase  Specific                                               Proteins   activity     activity                                             Volume  mg/              PUN/           PUN/                            Fractions                                                                             ml      ml     Total                                                                               %    ml   Total                                                                               %    mg                              ______________________________________                                         Solution A                                                                            1.5     6.48   9.7  100  17.5 26.3 100  2.7                             Solution B                                                                            12      0.025  0.3  3    0.7  8.4  32   28                              ______________________________________                                    

Table 1 shows that this purification stage has increased the specific pullulanase activity of the enzymatic solution by a factor of 10.

The debranching activity, that is to say the hydrolysis activity with regard to alpha-1,6 bonds in amylopectin, of the pullulanase was also measured as described above by coloration with iodine after hydrolysis of amylopectin. The results show that the debranching activity has also been increased.

EXAMPLE 3

Molecular weight determination

Precipitation by means of trichloroacetic acid (10% (v/v) final strength) is carried out on solution C as obtained in Example 2. The precipitate obtained is taken up in a buffer composed of 10 mM TRIS/HCl (pH=8.0), 1 mM EDTA, 2.5% (w/v) of SDS (sodium dodecyl sulphate), 5% (v/v) of β-mercaptoethanol and 0.01% (w/v) of bromophenol blue.

4 μl of the precipitate taken up in the buffer are deposited on a polyacrylamide gel. The gel system used is the PHASTSYSTEM system from PHARMACIA LKB BIOTECHNOLOGY, with gels containing a polyacrylamide gradient of 10-15% (v/v) in the presence of SDS. The electrophoresis conditions are those prescribed by the supplier. Coloration of the gel with Coomassie blue reveals a polypeptide of molecular weight of about 105 kDaltons, which is the main component of solution C.

This is confirmed by the estimation made from the amino acid sequence of the mature form of the pullulanase (without the signal sequence), as described in Example 4, and a molecular weight of 102 KDaltons is deduced by calculation.

EXAMPLE 4

1. Determination of the N-terminal sequence

Starting from the gel described in Example 3, the N-terminal sequence of the pullulanase is identified by following the technique described by BAUW et al., (1987), Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 84, pages 4806-4810.

This sequence (SEQ ID NO:1) thus determined is as follows in the amino-carboxyl sense and from left to right:

    Asp Gly Asn Thr Thr Thr Ile Ile Val His Tyr Phe Cys Pro Ala Gly Asp Tyr Gln Pro

2. Determination of the amino acid sequence of the pullulanase

The nucleotide sequence (SEQ ID NO:8) of the BamHI-PstI fragment of about 4.5 Kb of the plasmid pUBCDEBRA11 containing the gene which codes for the pullulanase, as obtained in Example 21, was determined by the chain termination method using dideoxy-nucleotides of SANGER et al. (1977) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 74, pages 5463-5467.

The synthetic oligonucleotides used to initiate the elongation reactions by the T7 DNA polymerase were synthesized by the method of BEAUCAGE et al. (1981) Tetrahedron letters 22, pages 1859-1882. The sequencing was carried out in accordance with the protocol given by the supplier of the sequence analysis kit (PHARMACIA), proceeding with denaturation of double-stranded DNA by treatment with NaOH.

The sequence analysis strategy is described by SAMBROOK, 1989, pages 13.15 and 13.17. The polyacrylamide gels for the sequence analysis were prepared in accordance with the technique described by SAMBROOK, 1989, pages 13.45-13.58.

The nucleotide sequence (SEQ ID NO:8) of the DNA fragment from the BamHI site to the PstI site of pUBCDEBRA11, and also the translation into amino acids (SEQ ID NO:9) of the signal and mature sequences of the pullulanase, was identified (FIG. 5). The nucleotides which have not been determined with certainty have been shown by the symbol N.

Analysis of this sequence shows the presence of an open reading frame which codes for the pullulanase. The nucleotide sequence which codes for the mature pullulanase (SEQ ID NO:10) is identified. The amino acid sequence of the mature pullulanase (SEQ ID NO:11) is thus deduced by translation of this open reading frame. FIG. 4 shows the nucleotide sequence which codes for the mature pullulanase and also its translation into amino acids.

It is verified that the N-terminal sequence determined experimentally from the protein as described above corresponds to that translated from the DNA sequence.

This shows that the pullulanase is synthesized in the form of a precursor containing an additional sequence of 29 amino acids (presequence). This sequence of 29 amino acids is identified (SEQ ID NO:12), as is the corresponding nucleotide sequence (SEQ ID NO:13). This additional sequence shows the typical characteristics of a secretion signal sequence, which is eliminated during exportation of the enzyme to the outside of the cell (Freudl, (1992), Journal of Biotechnology, 23, pages 231-240).

This sequence of 29 amino acids is as follows: ##STR2##

EXAMPLE 5

Amino acid distribution

The amino acid distribution of the mature pullulanase, determined from the amino acid sequence of pullulanase (Example 4), is summarized in Table 2.

                  TABLE 2                                                          ______________________________________                                                                       (by molecular                                    Symbol  Amino acids   Number  weight) %                                        ______________________________________                                         D       aspartic acid 75      8.5                                              N       asparagine    69      7.7                                              V       valine        72      7.0                                              T       threonine     70      6.9                                              Y       tyrosine      42      6.7                                              L       leucine       60      6.7                                              K       lysine        48      6.0                                              S       serine        64      5.5                                              I       isoleucine    47      5.2                                              E       glutamic acid 40      5.1                                              Q       glutamine     39      4.9                                              A       alanine       69      4.8                                              P       proline       46      4.4                                              G       glycine       75      4.2                                              F       phenylalanine 27      3.9                                              W       tryptophan    18      3.3                                              M       methionine    23      3.0                                              H       histidine     22      3.0                                              R       arginine      18      2.8                                              X       unknown       3       0.3                                              C       cysteine      1       0.1                                              ______________________________________                                    

EXAMPLE 6

Determination of the isoelectric point

IEF (isoelectrofocusing) electrophoresis is carried out on solution C, as obtained in Example 2, in a pH gradient varying from 4.0 to 6.5.

A volume corresponding to 0.12 pullulanase units is deposited in triplicate on the gel. After migration, one third of the gel is coloured with Coomassie blue.

The other two portions of the gel are covered by agar gels (1% weight/volume) buffered with 100 mM CH₃ COONa, 1 mM CaCl₂ and 1 mM MgCl₂ (pH 4.5) and containing, respectively 0.1% (w/v) of AZCL-pullulane or 1% (w/v) of amylopectin. The combination (acrylamide gel/agar gel) thus obtained is then incubated at 60° C. in an atmosphere of saturated humidity for 16 hours. The gel covered by the top layer of amylopectin is then incubated at room temperature in a solution containing 3 mM I₂ and 50 mM KI in order to demonstrate the debranching activity by appearance of the blue coloration.

Development of the iodine of the amylopectin gel reveals a deep blue halo, indicating a debranching activity, at an isoelectric point between about 4.1 and about 4.5 for the enzyme of the present invention. Development of the pullulanase activity indicates the same result.

This demonstrates that the pullulanase of the present invention has a pullulanase activity and a debranching activity.

This demonstrates that the pullulanase of the present invention is capable of hydrolysing bonds of the α-1,6 type, both in pullulane and in amylopectin. This demonstrates a low specificity of the pullulanase of the present invention with respect to its substrate.

This is confirmed by the estimation made starting from the amino acid sequence of the mature form of the pullulanase (without the signal sequence) as described in Example 4, and an isoelectric point of 4.5 is deduced by calculation.

EXAMPLE 7

Activity profile as a function of pH and temperature for the pullulanase produced by the natural strain (Bacillus deramificans)

The enzymatic activity of the pullulanase is measured at various temperatures (55°, 60° and 65° C.) and at various pH values (from 3.25 to 7) in 50 mM citrate/phosphate buffer by measuring the reducing sugars released. Solution C of pullulanase as obtained in Example 2, diluted to about 1 PUN/ml, is used.

The results are summarized in Table 3.

In the course of this test, the maximum enzymatic activity was measured by measuring the reducing sugars released for a sample placed at a pH of about 4.3 and at a temperature of about 60° C. over a period of 15 minutes. By definition, a relative enzymatic activity of 100% was thus attributed to this sample.

This example shows that the pullulanase according to the invention has an optimum enzymatic activity, measured at a temperature of about 60° C. in a pH range of between 4.0 and 4.8.

This example also shows that the pullulanase according to the invention has an optimum enzymatic activity, measured at a pH of about 4.3, in a temperature range of between 55° and 65° C.

Furthermore, this example shows that the pullulanase according to the invention develops an enzymatic activity of more than 80% of the maximum enzymatic activity in a pH range of between about 3.8 and about 4.9.

                  TABLE 3                                                          ______________________________________                                         Relative activity of the enzyme %                                              Temperature °C.                                                         pH      55             60     65                                               ______________________________________                                         3.25    5.7            2.2    4.3                                              3.75    80.8           83.7   11.5                                             4.30    87.9           100    84.1                                             4.90    82.4           87.1   68                                               5.50    50.6           39.6   13.5                                             6.00    7.5            2.9    0                                                6.40    0              0      0                                                ______________________________________                                    

EXAMPLE 8

pH stability of the pullulanase produced by the natural strain (Bacillus deramificans)

Solution A of the pullulanase as obtained in Example 2 is diluted such that it develops an enzymatic activity of about 0.7 PUN/ml in various 100 mM citrate/phosphate buffers at pH values varying between pH 3.0 and 7.0. The various dilute solutions containing the pullulanase are incubated at 60° C. for 60 minutes.

The enzymatic activity of these different solutions after incubation for 60 minutes at pH 4.2 at 60° C. in the presence of 1.6% (weight/volume) of pullulane is then measured. The amount of maltotriose formed is measured by HPLC chromatography (as described in Example 2). The results are summarized in Table 4.

In the course of this test, the maximum enzymatic activity was measured for a sample placed at a pH of about 4.5 and at a temperature of about 60° C. By definition, a relative enzymatic activity of 100% was thus attributed to this sample.

This example shows that the pullulanase according to the invention is stable in a wide acid pH range, and in fact it has a relative enzymatic activity of at least 85%, measured after incubation for 60 minutes at a temperature of about 60° C. in the absence of substrate and in a pH range of between about 3.5 and about 5.8. This example also shows that it has a relative enzymatic activity greater than 90%, measured in a pH range of between about 3.8 and about 5 under these same conditions, and that it is inactivated only at a pH of less than or equal to 3 or greater than or equal to 7.

                  TABLE 4                                                          ______________________________________                                         pH         Relative activity %                                                 ______________________________________                                         3          0                                                                   3.5        90                                                                  4          98                                                                  4.5        100                                                                 5          96                                                                  5.5        92                                                                  6          89                                                                  6.5        75                                                                  7          0                                                                   ______________________________________                                    

EXAMPLE 9

Determination of the half-life of the pullulanase produced by the natural strain (Bacillus deramificans)

Solution C of the pullulanase as obtained in Example 2 is diluted such that it develops an enzymatic activity of about 0.7 PUN/ml in a 100 mM sodium acetate buffer at a pH of 4.5. The dilute solution containing the pullulanase is incubated at 60° C. and samples are taken at various times.

The enzymatic activity is then measured by the reducing sugars method (method of SOMOGYI described above).

In the course of this test, the maximum enzymatic activity was measured for the sample at time 0. By definition, a relative enzymatic activity of 100% was thus attributed to this sample.

The results are summarized in Table 5.

                  TABLE 5                                                          ______________________________________                                                Time Relative activity                                                         hours                                                                               %                                                                  ______________________________________                                                0    100                                                                       16   76                                                                        24   74                                                                        40   57                                                                        48   54                                                                        64   47                                                                 ______________________________________                                    

This example shows that the pullulanase is heat stable at an acid pH.

This example shows that the half-life of the pullulanase is about 55 hours under these conditions. In fact, the pullulanase has a relative enzymatic activity of at least 50%, measured after an incubation of 55 hours at a temperature of about 60° C. in a solution buffered at a pH of about 4.5 and in the absence of substrate.

This example shows moreover that the pullulanase according to the invention has a relative enzymatic activity of at least 55%, measured after an incubation of 40 hours at a temperature of about 60° C. in a solution buffered at a pH of about 4.5 and in the absence of substrate. This example also shows that it has a relative enzymatic activity of at least 70%, measured after an incubation of 24 hours under these same conditions.

EXAMPLE 10 AND EXAMPLE 11R (COMPARISON)

Saccharification

A saccharification medium is prepared by suspending, in water, maize starch at a concentration of 35% (weight/weight) by weight of starch dry matter and calcium chloride at a concentration of 0.02% (weight/volume).

This maize-starch suspension is liquefied in the presence of α-amylase, sold under the trade name TAKATHERM® L-340 by SOLVAY ENZYMES, at 105° C. for 5 minutes at pH 6.0.

The liquefied starch thus obtained is cooled rapidly to a temperature of 95° C. and the hydrolysis is continued for 120 minutes at 95° C. while stirring. At this stage, the degree of hydrolysis is between 10 and 12 DE (DE represents the unit of "dextrose equivalents", that is to say the number of reducing ends expressed as glucose equivalent).

The liquefied starch thus obtained is diluted to a final concentration of 32 g of dry weight per 100 g of saccharification medium.

The saccharification medium obtained is cooled to a temperature of 60° C.

The pH of this saccharification medium is adjusted to various values of from 3.9 to 4.8 with acetic acid and is kept constant in the course of the saccharification.

An amount of glucoamylase corresponding to 0.176 DU/g.ds (enzymatic units of glucoamylase per g of dry matter of the saccharification medium) is added to the saccharification medium, the glucoamylase used being sold under the trade name DIAZYME L-200 by SOLVAY ENZYMES.

For Example 10 according to the invention, an amount of pullulanase corresponding to 0.075 PUN/g of dry matter is also added to the saccharification medium in the form of an aqueous concentrated solution of pullulanase (solution A) as described in Example 2.

Comparison Example 11R is carried out as described above for Example 10, but without addition of pullulanase.

After 48 hours, the saccharification is stopped and the products obtained are analysed by chromatography (as described in Example 2).

The results are summarized in Table 6.

This example shows that the pullulanase according to the invention is effective in saccharification. The pullulanase of the invention thus has all the appropriate properties compatible with the actual industrial conditions of saccharification of starch.

This example shows that the starch conversion level is greater in the presence of the pullulanase according to the invention at various pH values down to a highly acid pH, that is to say to at least 3.9.

                  TABLE 6                                                          ______________________________________                                                      Products obtained in %                                            pH     Examples    Glucose DP2     DP3  >DP3                                   ______________________________________                                         3.9    11R         94.18   2.92    0,54 2.37                                          10          95.63   2.90    0.73 0.73                                   4.2    11R         94.18   2.98    0.56 2.29                                          10          94.79   4.30    0.56 0.38                                   4.5    11R         93.72   2.88    0.57 2.83                                          10          95.49   3.00    0.75 0.76                                   4.8    11R         93.32   2.79    0.60 3.30                                          10          95.25   2.70    0.87 1.18                                   ______________________________________                                    

DP2 represents the oligosaccharides containing two glucose units (glucose dimer), DP3 the oligosaccharides containing three glucose units (glucose trimer) and >DP3 the oligosaccharides containing more than 3 glucose units.

EXAMPLE 12 AND EXAMPLE 13R (COMPARISON)

Saccharification

Example 10 is repeated, but the pH of the saccharification medium is fixed at a pH of 4.2.

An amount of glucoamylase corresponding to 0.17 DU/g.ds (enzymatic units per g of dry matter of the saccharification medium) is added to the saccharification medium, the glucoamylase used being sold under the trade name DIAZYME L-200 by SOLVAY ENZYMES.

For Example 12 according to the invention, various amounts of pullulanase corresponding to, respectively, 0.0325 PUN/g.ds., 0.050 PUN/g.ds., 0.075 PUN/g.ds. and 0.10 PUN/g.ds. (enzymatic units of pullulanase per gram of dry matter of the saccharification medium) are also added to the saccharification medium in the form of an aqueous concentrated solution of pullulanase (solution A) as described in Example 2.

Comparison Example 13R is carried out as described above for Example 12, but without addition of pullulanase.

The results are summarized in Table 7.

This example shows that the amount of pullulanase which it is necessary to use to observe an increase in the percentage of glucose produced less than 0.0325 PUN/g.ds.

                  TABLE 7                                                          ______________________________________                                                Pullulanase                                                                             Products obtained in %                                         Examples PUN/g.ds.  Glucose  DP2   DP3   >DP3                                  ______________________________________                                         13R      0          94.78    3.55  0.73  0.94                                  12       0.0325     95.16    3.45  0.78  0.61                                           0.050      95.30    3.39  0.74  0.56                                           0.075      95.25    3.47  0.74  0.55                                           0.10       95.27    3.49  0.70  0.53                                  ______________________________________                                    

EXAMPLE 14

Construction of the plasmid pUBDEBRA1

The plasmid pUBDEBRA1 (FIG. 1) contains the gene which codes for the pullulanase of the strain Bacillus deramificans T 89.117D under the control of its own transcription promoter introduced into the vector pUB131. Construction of the plasmid pUBDEBRA1 is described below.

The chromosomal DNA is extracted and purified from a culture of the strain Bacillus deramificans T 89.117D (identified under the number LMG P-13056).

For this purpose, a culture of 200 ml of this bacillus is carried out in liquid MYE medium (Example 1).

When this culture has been realized and is in the stationary phase, it is centrifuged (BECKMAN JA-10 rotor) at 5000 revolutions per minute for 10 minutes. The centrifugation pellet thus obtained is taken up in 9 ml of buffer comprising 0.1M TRIS-HCl (tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane acidified with HCl at a pH of 8, 0.1M EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) and 0.15M NaCl containing 18 mg of lysozyme, and the suspension thus obtained is incubated for 15 minutes at 37° C.

The lysate thus obtained is then treated with 200 μl of a solution of 10 mg/ml of RNAse at 50° C. for 20 minutes. 1 ml of a 10% strength solution of SDS (sodium dodecyl sulphate) is then added to this lysate. This lysate is then incubated for 30 minutes at 70° C.

The lysate is then cooled to about 45° C. and 0.5 ml of a solution of 20 mg/ml of proteinase K (prepared extemporaneously) is then added thereto.

The lysate is incubated at 45° C. while stirring manually, until a transparent solution is obtained.

Several extractions with phenol are carried out on this transparent solution under the conditions and in accordance with the procedures described in Molecular Cloning--a laboratory manual--SAMBROOK, FRITSCH, MANIATIS--second edition, 1989, on page E.3, until a proper interface, as described there, is obtained.

The DNA is precipitated by 20 ml of ethanol. The precipitate is collected by centrifugation at 5000 revolutions per minute for 5 minutes, and is then suspended in 2 ml of TE buffer at pH 8.0 (10 mM TRIS-HCl, 1 mM EDTA at pH 8.0).

The DNA thus obtained is then partly cleaved by the restriction enzyme Sau3AI. The restriction conditions in this example and in all the other examples of this application are those described by SAMBROOK et al. (page 5.28-5.32), except that these restriction conditions are increased by a factor of 10 in order to obtain a sufficient amount of DNA for the following purification stages.

The ratio between the amount of DNA used and the amount of enzyme is adjusted in order to obtain a maximum of fragments of a size between 5 and 10 kbp (kbp: 10³ base pairs).

The combined fragments thus obtained are then subjected to agarose gel electrophoresis (0.8%) as described by SAMBROOK et al. (page 6.01-6.19), and the fragments of a size between 5 and 10 kbp are isolated and purified by the GENE CLEAN method. They are then spliced with the plasmid pBR322, which is sold by the company BIOLABS CLONTECH LABORATORIES (U.S.A.) catalogue No. 6210-1!, cut at the BamHI site and dephosphorylated as described by SAMBROOK et al. (page 1.60-1.61). This same technique is used in the other examples.

The splice thus obtained is transformed into cells of E. coli MC1061 CLONTECH LABORATORIES, catalogue No. C-1070-1! by electroporation (SAMBROOK et al., page 1.75-1.81); the transformed strains are selected on a Petri dish containing LB (Luria-Bertani) agar-agar medium and 100 μg/ml of ampicillin, after growth at 37° C. for about 18 hours. The LB medium is described by SAMBROOK et al. (page A.4). This medium contains 10 g/l of tryprone, 5 g/l of yeast extract and 10 g/l of sodium chloride.

The colonies obtained on these dishes are then replicated on two dishes of the same medium.

One of the two dishes is covered with an agar-agar medium containing 1% (w/v) of agar, 100 mM sodium acetate (pH 4.5) and 0.1% (w/v) of AZCL-pullulane. After incubation at 60° C. for 18 hours, the colony showing the largest zone of hydrolysis of the AZCL-pullulane is identified and the corresponding colony is isolated on the other replicated dish.

A strain is thus obtained from which the plasmid called pBRDEBRA3 is extracted. The EcoRI-BamHI fragment of about 4.6 kbp of the plasmid pBRDEBRA3 is obtained by double digestion of the plasmid pBRDEBRA3 with BamHI and EcoRI, and purification by agarose gel electrophoresis (0.8% w/v). This fragment is then spliced with the vector pUB131 (described in European Patent Application 0 415 296), which was previously the subject of double digestion with BamHI and EcoRI at the BamHI and EcoRI sites using the strain Bacillus subtilis PSL1 as the host.

The strain Bacillus subtilis PSL1 can be obtained from the B.G.S.C. collection under number 1A510 (BACILLUS GENETIC STOCK CENTER, Ohio State University, United States).

The plasmid pUBDEBRA1 thus obtained is isolated and purified from transformed PSL1 cells by the technique of alkaline lysis (SAMBROOK et al., page 1.25-1.28). This same technique is used in the other examples.

All the transformed strains of Bacillus subtilis are capable of expressing the gene of pullulanase and of secreting pullulanase.

The transformed PSL1 strains containing the plasmid pUBDEBRA1 are subcultured on a Petri dish containing LB medium with 25 μg/ml of kanamycin.

The colonies obtained are covered by a top layer of agarose (1% weight/volume) containing AZCL-pullulane (0.1% weight/volume) and sodium acetate (100 mM, pH 4.5). After incubation at 60° C. for 18 hours, it is found that all the colonies of the transformed strains are surrounded by a hydrolysis halo of AZCL-pullulane.

EXAMPLE 15

Preparation of the strain Bacillus licheniformis SE2 delap1

Identification of the terminal parts of the gene of the alkaline protease of the host strain of Bacillus licheniformis SE2

This example relates to identification of the terminal parts of the gene of the alkaline protease of the host strain of Bacillus licheniformis in order to prepare the deletion plasmid for deletion of the said gene of Bacillus licheniformis SE2.

1. Extraction of the chromosomal DNA from B. licheniformis SE2

In order to isolate the gene of the alkaline protease of the chromosomal DNA of Bacillus licheniformis SE2, the chromosomal DNA is first extracted in accordance with the method described in Example 14 for extraction of chromosomal DNA, except that the culture medium comprises LB medium and is purified.

2. Identification of the C-terminal part of the gene of the alkaline protease

The chromosomal DNA extracted is subjected to a restriction analysis described in Molecular Cloning--SAMBROOK et al. (page 1.85) and Molecular Cloning, a laboratory Manual, MANIATIS et al., 1982 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, pages 374-379. The DNA fragments obtained from these digestions are separated according to their size on an 0.8% (weight/volume) agarose gel.

The agarose gel is then subjected to analysis by the SOUTHERN BLOT technique (technique described by SAMBROOK et al.--page 9.31) in order to identify the fragments which contain the nucleotide sequences of the C-terminal part of the gene of the alkaline protease.

The probe constructed, which is used for the hybridizations, is a synthetic oligonucleotide corresponding to the C-terminal part of the gene of the alkaline protease. The technique used to construct the synthetic oligonucleotide is described in BEAUCAGE, S. L. et al. (1981), Tetrahedron Letters, 22, pages 1859-1882, using β-cyanoethyl-phosphoramidites in a BIOSEARCH CYCLONE SYNTHESIZER apparatus. The synthetic oligonucleotide sequence which was constructed is as follows (SEQ ID NO:2):

    5'-GGCGGAGCAAGCTTTGTGG-3'

These results show that the C-terminal part of the gene of the alkaline protease is located on the PstI fragment of about 2.7 kbp.

The hybridization with the DNA probes is carried out in accordance with the technique described in Molecular Cloning--SAMBROOK et al.--page 9.52-9.55. This same technique is used in the other examples.

The preparation of the extracted chromosomal DNA originating from the strain of Bacillus licheniformis SE2 is then digested with the enzyme PstI and the fragments obtained are separated according to their size by agarose gel electrophoresis (0.8%).

The PstI fragments obtained of about 2.7 kbp are extracted from the gels and purified by the so-called "GENE CLEAN" technique, which uses glass beads and is marketed by the company BIO101 (U.S.A.).

The PstI fragments of 2.7 kbp are then spliced (SAMBROOK et al., page 1.68-1.69) with the plasmid pUC18 (CLONTECH Laboratories, No. 6110-1) which has first been digested at the PstI site and dephosphorylated. The splice thus obtained was then transformed into the cells of Escherichia coli MC1061 by the technique with CaCl₂ (SAMBROOK et al.--page 1.82-1.84). The technique which allows dephosphorylation of the DNA fragments or linearization of the vectors is described by SAMBROOK et al. (page 1.60-1.61). The splicing technique is also described by SAMBROOK et al. (page 1.68-1.69).

The transformed strains are selected on Petri dishes containing LB agar-agar medium supplemented with 100 μg/ml of ampicillin. The strains transformed starting from E. coli MC1061 thus obtained are then selected by hybridization with the synthetic oligonucleotide labelled using the C-terminal probe used in the SOUTHERN study and the plasmid pKC1 is isolated.

The synthetic oligonucleotide is labelled by phosphorylation with ^(32P-) γ-ATP using the T4 polynucleotide kinase of the phage T4 and in accordance with the technique described by SAMBROOK et al. (page 11.31-11.33).

3. Identification of the N-terminal part of the gene of the alkaline protease

The chromosomal DNA extracted is subjected to restriction analysis. The DNA fragments obtained from these digestions are separated according to their size on a 0.8% agarose gel.

The agarose gel is then subjected to analysis by the SOUTHERN BLOT technique in order to identify the fragments which contain the nucleotide sequences of the N-terminal part of the gene of the alkaline protease.

The probe which is used for the hybridizations is a synthetic oligonucleotide corresponding to the N-terminal part of the gene of the alkaline protease. The sequence of the synthetic oligonucleotide which has been constructed is as follows (SEQ ID NO:3):

    5'-ATGGCTCCTGGCGCAGGC-3'

These results show that the N-terminal part of the gene of the alkaline protease is located on the PstI fragment of about 5.5 kbp and also on a smaller BclI-PstI fragment of about 2 kbp. This fragment does not contain the restriction sites XbaI, ClaI, HpaI and SphI.

The preparation of the extracted chromosomal DNA originating from the strain of Bacillus licheniformis SE2 is then digested with the enzyme PstI and the fragments obtained are separated according to their size by agarose gel electrophoresis (0.8%).

The fragments obtained of about 5.5 kbp are extracted from the gels and purified by the so-called "GENE CLEAN" technique (company BIO 101).

The PstI fragments of 5.5 kbp thus obtained are then subjected to a series of digestions with BclI, XbaI, ClaI, HpaI and SphI. The DNA fragments thus produced are spliced with the plasmid pMK4 (as described in SULLIVAN et al., (1984), Gene 29, pages 1-26) which has first been linearized by BamHI and PstI. The plasmid pMK4 can be obtained from the B.G.S.C. collection (Bacillus Genetic Stock Center (Ohio State University) Columbus, Ohio, U.S.A.) under number 1E29.

The splices thus obtained were then transformed into the cells of Escherichia coli MC1061 by the technique with CaCl₂.

The transformed strains are selected on Petri dishes containing LB agar-agar medium supplemented with 100 μg/ml of ampicillin. The strains transformed starting from E. coli MC1061 thus obtained are then selected by hybridization with the synthetic oligonucleotide labelled using the N-terminal probe in the SOUTHERN study and the plasmid pKP1 is isolated.

EXAMPLE 16

Sequences of the alkaline protease

The sequences of the fragments introduced into the plasmids pKP1 and pKC1 are determined from the Pst1 sites up to the SacI sites in accordance with the technique described by SAMBROOK et al. (pages 13.15 and 13.17 and FIG. 13.3B).

EXAMPLE 17

Construction of the plasmid pLD1

The plasmid pLD1 (FIG. 2) is constructed with the aim of preparing the strain Bacillus licheniformis SE2 delap1. The construction of the plasmid pLD1 is described below.

The plasmid pKP1 (as obtained in Example 15) is unstable in E. coli MC1061. For this reason, the chromosomal DNA fragment containing the N-terminal part of the gene of the alkaline protease of B. licheniformis SE2 was introduced into the vector pACYC184 (BIOLABS, U.S.A., under number #401-M). This introduction was carried out by introducing the EcoRI-EcoRI fragment of 1849 bp of the plasmid pKP1 into the EcoRI site of the plasmid pACYC184 and the splicing is used to transform the cells of E. coli MC1061. The plasmid pKPN11 is thus obtained.

The transformed strains are selected on a Petri dish containing LB agar-agar medium supplemented with 2.5 μg/ml of tetracycline. The orientation of the EcoRI-EcoRI fragment of 1849 bp in the plasmid pKPN11 is determined by restriction analysis (SAMBROOK et al.--page 1.85 and MANIATIS et al.--page 374-379).

The plasmid pKPN12 is obtained in the following manner: the StyI-StyI fragment of 1671 bp of the plasmid pKPN11 is removed by digestion with StyI, followed by replacement of this fragment by the following synthetic double-stranded DNA, which has been produced beforehand:

    __________________________________________________________________________     5'                                                                             CTTG  GAGCTC                                                                              GTTAAC                                                                              AGATCT                                                         3'                           (SEQ ID NO:4)                                     3'         CTCGAG                                                                              CAATTG                                                                              TCTAGA                                                                             GTTC                                                  5'    (SEQ ID NO:5)                                                                  (StyI)                                                                              SacI HpaI BalII                                                                              (StyI)                                                __________________________________________________________________________

Digestion of plasmids with restriction enzymes is carried out in accordance with the technique described by SAMBROOK et al.--1989--chapters 5.28-5.32.

The DNA fragment originating from the plasmid pUB131 which codes for the resistance to kanamycin and to bleomycin or to phleomycin was obtained as follows:

The PstI-TaqI fragment of 2666 bp, which carries the genes which code for resistance to kanamycin and to bleomycin or to phleomycin, is obtained by double digestion of PstI-TaqI of the plasmid pUB131. This fragment is introduced into the PstI-AccI sites of the plasmid pBS--(STRATAGENE, U.S.A., under number 211202). The plasmid pBSKMPM is thus obtained.

During the preparation of the plasmid pBSKMPM, a small deletion in the region of the bond with the plasmid pBS- appears, which causes the loss of the SphI and PstI sites in the plasmid pBSKMPM. The plasmid pBSKMPM is used to produce a single-stranded DNA used to effect site-directed mutagenesis with the aim of introducing the two synthetic nucleotides, the SmaI sites of which are identified below, one being situated in front of and the other after the genes of resistance to kanamycin and to phleomycin.

The technique of site-directed mutagenesis is described by SAMBROOK et al.--page 15.74-15.79. It uses the mutagenesis kit sold by BIO-RAD (No. 170-3576).

The sequences of the synthetic oligonucleotides used for the mutagenesis are as follows (SEQ ID NO:6 and SEQ ID NO:7 respectively): ##STR3##

The plasmid obtained by this mutagenesis in the presence of the two oligonucleotides is the plasmid pBSKMPM1. This plasmid contains two SmaI restriction sites which allow isolation of the DNA fragment containing the genes which code for resistance to kanamycin and phleomycin.

The SmaI-SmaI fragment of 1597 bp of the plasmid pBSKMPM1 is then introduced into the SmaI site of the plasmid pKPN12, and the plasmid pKPN14 is thus obtained.

Proper orientation of the fragment introduced into the plasmid pKPN14 is verified by carrying out a selection on preparations of plasmid DNA by restriction analysis (SAMBROOK et al.--page 1.85).

The DNA fragment present on the plasmid pKC1 and located before the N-terminal sequence of the alkaline protease is isolated on the SacI-HindIII fragment of 1.2 kbp of the plasmid pKC1 (as obtained in Example 15) by digestion, initially with HindIII.

The projecting 5' end of HindIII is rendered blunt-ended by treatment with the Klenow fragment of DNA polymerase (SAMBROOK et al.--page F.2-F.3). The SacI restriction is thus effected in order to produce the desired blunt-ended SacI-HindIII fragment. This fragment is introduced into the HpaI and SacI sites of the plasmid pKPN14, producing the plasmid pLID1.

All these constructions are effected by transformation of the strain E. coli MC1061 in the presence of tetracycline (12 μg/ml) for selection of the transformed strains.

A plasmid which is capable of multiplying in B. subtilis and in B. licheniformis is constructed from the plasmid pLID1 by replacing the replication functions of the E. coli, which are carried by the BglII-BglII fragment of 3623 bp of the plasmid pLID1, by the fragment which carries the replication functions of the Bacillus: fragment BglII-BamHI of 2238 bp isolated from the plasmid pUB131.

This replacement of replication functions of E. coli by Bacillus cells was effected by first isolating the BglII-BglII fragment of 3.6 kbp from the plasmid pLID1 by digestion of the plasmid pLID1 with BglII and BamHI. Supplementary BamHI digestion was necessary, and in fact BglII digestion alone would result in fragments of identical size which could not be separated by agarose gel electrophoresis. The BglII-BglII fragment of 3.6 kbp is thus cloned in the strain of Bacillus subtilis SE3 in the fragment BglII-BamHI of 2238 bp which has been isolated from the plasmid pUB131, producing the plasmid pLD1 (FIG. 2).

The strain Bacillus subtilis SE3 was deposited on 21 Jun. 1993 at the collection called the BELGIAN COORDINATED COLLECTIONS OF MICROORGANISMS in accordance with the Treaty of Budapest under number LMG P-14035.

EXAMPLE 18

Construction of Bacillus licheniformis SE2 delap1

The desired modifications in the chromosomal DNA of the strain Bacillus licheniformis SE2 are effected by techniques based on homologous recombination. The modifications cations are effected to produce the strain Bacillus licheniformis SE2 delap1.

The plasmid pLD1 is transformed in B. licheniformis SE2 by the protoplast technique described by Molecular Biological Methods for Bacillus (pages 150-151) and under the conditions defined, except for the following modifications: the lysozyme powder is added in an amount of 5 mg/ml in the SMMP, instead of 1 mg/ml as defined in stage 7 of the procedure described, the incubation period to obtain maximum lysis with the lysozyme is 60 minutes, and the regeneration is carried out in DM3 medium (described by Molecular Biological Methods for Bacillus (HARWOOD et al., eds) John Wiley and Sons (1990) (pages 150-151)) containing 200 μg/ml of kanamycin.

A transformed strain is isolated and the restriction map of the plasmid pLD1 introduced into this strain is verified.

The transformed strain is cultured in 50 ml of an LB medium supplemented with 2 g/l of glucose and 25 μg/ml of kanamycin for 18 hours at 37° C.

A sample of culture (0.1 ml) is taken and used to inoculate a conical flask containing 50 ml of the same LB medium. The culture is incubated at 37° C. for 18 hours. A sample of this culture is taken and tested on a Petri dish containing LB agar-agar medium supplemented with 25 μg/ml of kanamycin and 1% (weight/volume) of skimmed milk (DIFCO) to detect the presence of protease.

The absence of a hydrolysis halo around the colonies which show growth on these Petri dishes indicates that these colonies are unable to produce an alkaline protease.

The cultures and tests are repeated until a strain (apr⁻, Km^(r)), that is to say both no longer producing alkaline protease (apr⁻) and resistant to kanamycin (Km^(r)), is obtained.

The plasmid pLD1 present in this strain of Bacillus licheniformis SE2 delap1 is then removed from it by culture on a growth medium at 37° C. in the absence of antibiotic.

This strain is cultured in 50 ml of LB medium supplemented with 2 g/l of glucose for 18 hours at 37° C. A volume of 0.1 ml of this culture is taken and used to inoculate another conical flask also containing 50 ml of the same medium, culture lasting 18 hours at 37° C. A sample is then taken and is spread out on a Petri dish containing LB medium. The colonies isolated are subcultured on a second dish of LB medium supplemented with 25 μg/ml of kanamycin. A strain which is sensitive to kanamycin (Km^(s)) is isolated. Its phenotype is confirmed (apr⁻, Km^(s)).

The chromosomal DNA of this strain is then isolated and purified and the structure of the chromosomal deletion is verified by the SOUTHERN BLOT technique. The deletions identified are correct as regards their position, having taken place by homologous double recombination in the sequences situated before (5') and after (3') in the gene of the alkaline protease.

The strain obtained is called B. licheniformis SE2 delap1. It does not produce alkaline protease.

EXAMPLE 19

Transformation of Bacillus licheniformis SE2 delap1 with the expression vector

The plasmid pUBDEBRA1 (FIG. 1) described in Example 14 is extracted from its host, isolated and purified (SAMBROOK et al., 1989, pages 1.25-1.28).

A culture of the strain B. licheniformis SE2 delap1 described in Example 18 is prepared and this strain is then transformed with this plasmid in accordance with the protoplast technique described by MANIATIS et al. (pages 150-151).

The transformed strain is selected on a Petri dish, isolated and purified by screening.

EXAMPLE 20

Production of pullulanase by B. licheniformis SE2 delap1 (pUBDEBRA1)

The strain B. licheniformis SE2 delap1 transformed by the plasmid pUBDEBRA1 as obtained in Example 19 is cultured for 17 hours at 37° C. in a preculture LB medium supplemented with 0.5% (w/v) of glucose and 20 μg/ml of kanamycin. This preculture is transferred (5% v/v) into 50 ml of M2 medium supplemented with 20 μg/ml of kanamycin. The M2 medium contains 30 g of soya flour, 75 g of soluble starch, 2 g of sodium sulphate, 5 mg of magnesium chloride, 3 g of NaH₂ PO₄, 0.2 g of CaCl₂.H₂ O and 1000 ml of water. The pH of this M2 medium is adjusted to 5.8 with 10N NaOH before its sterilization. The culture is incubated, while stirring, for 80 hours at 37° C. After 80 hours, the biomass is eliminated by centrifugation at 5000 revolutions per minute for 10 minutes. The supernatant from the centrifugation is kept. The enzymatic activity of this supernatant is measured and the presence of a pullulanase activity is recorded.

EXAMPLE 21

Construction of Bacillus licheniformis SE2 delap1 (pUBCDEBRA11DNSI)--chromosomal integration

This example relates to integration of the gene which codes for the pullulanase into the chromosome of the strain Bacillus licheniformis SE2 delap1.

For this purpose, the EcoRI-BamHI fragment of 4.6 kb of the plasmid pBRDEBRA3 is cloned into the EcoRI and BamHI sines of the pUBC131 vector by transformation of the strain E. coli MC1061, thus generating the plasmid pUBCDEBRA11.

The integration vector pUBCDEBRA11DNSI (FIG. 3) is then constructed by deleting the NsiI-NsiI fragment of 886 bp of the plasmid pUBCDEBRA11. The plasmid thus obtained has lost the possibility of replicating itself in Bacillus owing to the loss of the NsiI fragment of 886 bp.

To effect this construction, the plasmid pUBCDEBRA11 is cleaved by the NsiI restriction enzyme and the NsiI-NsiI fragment of about 9.4 kbp is purified by agarose gel electrophoresis. This fragment is then subjected to splicing in order to recircularize it. The splicing is transformed into E. coli MC1061 and the plasmid pUBCDEBRA11DNSI1 is obtained.

In order to integrate the plasmid pUBCDEBRA11DNSI1 into the strain B. licheniformis SE2 delap1, it is necessary for this plasmid to carry a DNA fragment homologous to the chromosomal DNA. Chromosomal Sau3AI fragments originating from B. licheniformis were thus cloned into the BamHI site of the integration vector pUBCDEBRA11DNSI1.

For this purpose, the chromosomal DNA extracted from the strain Bacillus licheniformis SE2 delap1 is partially cleaved by the Sau3AI restriction enzyme. The DNA fragments of a size between 1.5 and 3 kb are then purified by agarose gel and spliced with the plasmid pUBCDEBRA11DNSI cleaved by the BamHI restriction enzyme and dephosphorylated. The splice thus obtained is transformed into the cells of MC1061 by electroporation. After selection on LB agar-agar medium containing 100 μg/ml of ampicillin, about 3000 colonies are obtained. All of these colonies are suspended in LB medium and the plasmids are extracted by the alkaline lysis technique (SAMBROOK et al., pages 1.25-1.28).

The preparation of plasmids thus obtained is thus introduced into the strain Bacillus licheniformis SE2 delap1 by transformation by the protoplast technique. The transformed cells are selected on DM3 regeneration medium (described in Molecular Biological Methods for Bacillus (Harwood, C. R. and Cutting, S. M., eds) J. Wiley and sons, 1990, pages 150-151) for their resistance to phleomycin (17 μg/ml), which can be conferred on them only by chromosomal integration of one of the plasmids constructed above.

The colonies thus obtained are subcultured on LB agar-agar medium supplemented with 5 μg/ml of phleomycin and 0.06% of AZCL-pullulane. The colony having the largest hydrolysis halo of AZCL-pullulane is then isolated and subcultured on LB agar-agar medium.

The plasmid content of this strain is then extracted. The preparation thus obtained is subjected to analysis by agarose gel electrophoresis, which shows the absence of plasmid.

The chromosomal DNA is extracted and purified as described in Example 14 and subjected to analysis by the SOUTHERN technique, which shows that the plasmid pUBCDEBRA11DNSI has been integrated into the chromosomal DNA by homologous recombination into an Sau3AI fragment of about 3 kb.

This demonstrates that the gene which codes for the pullulanase of B. deramificans is expressed in B. licheniformis in the integrated state in the chromosome.

EXAMPLE 22

Process for the production of pullulanase by the strain Bacillus licheniformis SE2 delap1 (pUBCDEBRA11DNSI)

The strain B. licheniformis SE2 delap1 containing the gene of pullulanase in the integrated form in the chromosomal DNA as obtained in Example 21 is cultured for 17 hours at 37° C. in a preculture LB medium supplemented with 0.5% (w/w) of glucose and 5 μg/ml of phleomycin. A volume of 10 ml of this preculture is inoculated in 250 ml of M2 medium (described in Example 20) supplemented with 5 μg/ml of phleomycin in baffled flasks.

After incubation for 24 hours, while stirring, at 37° C. all of the culture thus obtained is introduced into a fermenter containing 6.5 1 of M2 medium. Fermentation is continued for 72 hours at 37° C. The pH is kept at a value below 7.0 by addition of concentrated phosphoric acid, the air flow rate is kept at 4 liters/minute and the stirring is adjusted in order to obtain a dissolved oxygen content of greater than 30% (v/v) of the content of saturation.

After addition to the culture obtained of 50 ml of a flocculating agent based on polyamine, sold under the trade name OPTIFLOC® FC 205 by SOLVAY DEUTSCHLAND, the biomass is removed by centrifugation (BECKMAN JA-10) at 5000 revolutions/minute for 15 minutes and the supernatant obtained is acidified to pH 4.5 with a solution of 1M HCl. The solution obtained is centrifuged again at 8000 revolutions/minute for 15 minutes (BECKMAN JA-10).

The supernatant is then concentrated to a final volume of 1 liter by ultrafiltration using an ultrafiltration unit fitted with a membrane with a resolution limit of 5000 Daltons.

Acetone is then added to this concentrated solution to a final concentration of 60% (v/v). The suspension formed is incubated at 4° C. for 2 hours and then centrifuged at 8000 revolutions/minute for 15 minutes (BECKMAN JA-10). The centrifugation residue obtained is suspended in 100 ml of an aqueous solution containing 30% (w/v) of starch of the trade name MALTRIN® 250 (GRAIN PROCESSING CORPORATION), 0.3% (w/v) of sodium benzoate and 0.15% (w/v) of potassium sorbate at a pH of 4.5. The purified preparation of the pullulanase produced by the recombinant strain thus obtained is called solution D.

The activity of the pullulanase of solution D, measured by the reducing sugars method, is 150 PUN/ml.

EXAMPLE 23

Stability of the pullulanase produced by the strain Bacillus licheniformis St2 delap1 (pUBCDEBRA11DNSI) with respect to temperature

Solution D of pullulanase as obtained in Example 22 is diluted such that it develops an enzymatic activity of between 10 and 15 PUN/ml in a 0.05M citrate/phosphate buffer at a pH of 4.75.

This dilute solution containing the pullulanase is divided into 9 tubes in an amount of 5 ml of dilute solution per tube.

The various tubes containing the dilute solution are incubated in water baths at temperatures of between 40° and 80° C. for 75 minutes.

After this incubation, the tubes are placed in an ice bath for rapid cooling.

The enzymatic activity of the various solutions is then measured (measurement conditions: temperature of 60° C. pH of 4.5, incubation period of 15 minutes).

In the course of this test, the maximum enzymatic activity was measured for the sample placed at a pH of about 4.75 and at a temperature of about 55° C. By definition, a relative enzymatic activity of 100% was thus attributed to this sample.

The results are summarized in Table 12.

                  TABLE 12                                                         ______________________________________                                                      Relative enzymatic                                                Temperature  activity %                                                        ______________________________________                                         40           99                                                                45           99                                                                50           100                                                               55           100                                                               60           96                                                                65           83                                                                70           2                                                                 80           1                                                                 ______________________________________                                    

This example shows that the pullulanase according to the invention has a relative enzymatic activity of at least 80%, measured after an incubation of 75 minutes at a pH of 4.75 in the absence of substrate and in a temperature range of less than or equal to 65° C.

    __________________________________________________________________________     SEQUENCE LISTING                                                               (1) GENERAL INFORMATION:                                                       (iii) NUMBER OF SEQUENCES: 15                                                  (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:1:                                               (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 20 amino acids                                                     (B) TYPE: amino acid                                                           (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                           (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide                                                    (v) FRAGMENT TYPE: N-terminal fragment                                         (vi) ORIGINAL SOURCE:                                                          (A) ORGANISM: Bacillus deramificans                                            (B) STRAIN: T 89.117D                                                          (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:1:                                        AspGlyAsnThrThrThrIleIleValHisTyrPheCysProAlaGly                               151015                                                                         AspTyrGlnPro                                                                   20                                                                             (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:2:                                               (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 19 base pairs                                                      (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                         (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                       (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                           (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: nucleic acid (other);                                      (A) DESCRIPTION: synthetic DNA                                                 (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:2:                                        GGCGGAGCAAGCTTTGTGG19                                                          (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:3:                                               (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 18 base pairs                                                      (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                         (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                       (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                           (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: nucleic acid (other);                                      (A) DESCRIPTION: synthetic DNA                                                 (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:3:                                        ATGGCTCCTGGCGCAGGC18                                                           (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:4:                                               (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 22 base pairs                                                      (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                         (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                       (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                           (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: nucleic acid (other);                                      (A) DESCRIPTION: synthetic DNA                                                 (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:4:                                        CTTGGAGCTCGTTAACAGATCT22                                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:5:                                               (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 22 base pairs                                                      (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                         (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                       (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                           (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: nucleic acid (other);                                      (A) DESCRIPTION: synthetic DNA                                                 (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:5:                                        CTTGAGATCTGTTAACGAGCTC22                                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:6:                                               (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 36 base pairs                                                      (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                         (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                       (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                           (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: nucleic acid (other);                                      (A) DESCRIPTION: synthetic DNA                                                 (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:6:                                        CATCTAATCTTCAACACCCGGGCCCGTTTGTTGAAC36                                         (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:7:                                               (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 42 base pairs                                                      (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                         (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                       (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                           (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: nucleic acid (other);                                      (A) DESCRIPTION: synthetic DNA                                                 (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:7:                                        CAAAATAAAAAAGATACAACCCGGGTCTCTCGTATCTTTTAT42                                   (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:8:                                               (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 4464 base pairs                                                    (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                         (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                       (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                           (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: genomic DNA                                                (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:8:                                        GGATCCTGTTAGACTATTTGAGGAGTTTGCAACACTTGATGTTTTATCCAAAGGAAGGGC60                 CGGAGATCATCGCTGGTCGAGGTGCTTTCGGTGAAGCATTTTCGCTATTTTGGGTATAAC120                CGGGCGCATTACGATCAATTGTTTGAAGAGCATCTTGATTTACTTCAAAAGCTGAATGCT180                TCGAAAAGAATAACATGGAGCGGGCTTTATCGAACACCTATACATGATGCAGATATCGCA240                CCCCGCCCTGTTCAGAAAAACATTCCTTTGTGGGTTGGGGTGGGTGGGACNMNTGAAASC300                NSYKCKYYGTGCRNVSNNNTATGGTGCCGGCTTAGCATGGGTATTTTGTCAGGCGATTGG360                CTTCGGTTTAAGGCACTTTCGGACCTTTATCGGCAGGCCGGCCAACAAGCANGGTATTCA420                CCGAACGATCTGAAAGTAGGAGTGACAGGGCATGCGTTTATTGGAAAGACGTCGCAGCAG480                GCACTCAATGACTATTACCCCTATCACGCGAATTATTGGCTAACACTGAACCAACAATTA540                GGGCAGCCGTTACCCCAGCAATACGTGAGGGAATTTAATTTATTAGCCTCCCCAGAGCAA600                GCCTTATATGTGGGAAGCTCTCAACAAGTGGGCAGGNAAAAATTTTGCGCCAACATGAGG660                NATTTGGTNATAAACGTTTTATCGCACAGATCGACATTGGCGGAATGCCCTTTAAAACAG720                TGGCCAAGAATATTGAGCGGTTAGGCCACTGAGGTTGCACCTGTCGTACGAAGAGCAACA780                AGAGGGTAATGGTAATAATCTATTTAACTGTTTATTAGAAAACTTGGTATCTGTTTAATT840                AAATAACAGGAGCCTGGAAGTGGGCCAAGGCTCCTTTCTAGGGAAACCTTTTTCTATTTA900                TATAGGCGTTGTTGCCTAAGGCTAAAGTAGGATTTTATTAAAAATATAGGAATTGCTCTT960                TTATTCGACACAATTATTCAATGGAATACGATAAAATGGAGAGTGTATGTAAGCGTTATA1020               TTTTATTGGGGGGCTGATAGAAGAAAAGGGATGCGACAGGGTCTATTAGCTAGTTTGGTA1080               TTCGATTTCAGATCAATGCAACGTACGAGTTTTTTATTGACTGCTTTGTGCAAGCGATTG1140               CATTGAAACAAAGGAGGACATTATGGCTAAAAAACTAATTTATGTGTGTTTAAGTGTTTG1200               TTTAGTGTTGACCTGGGCTTTTAATGTAAAAGGGCAATCTGCTCATGCTGATGGGAACAC1260               GACAACGATCATTGTCCACTATTTTTGCCCTGCTGGTGATTATCAACCTTGGAGTCTATG1320               GATGTGGCCAAAAGACGGAGGTGGGGCTGAATACGATTTCAATCAACCGGCTGACTCTTT1380               TGGAGCTGTTGCAAGTGCTGATATTCCAGGAAACCCAAGTCAGGTAGGAATTATCGTTCG1440               CACTCAAGATTGGACCAAAGATGTGAGCGCTGACCGCTACATAGATTTAAGCAAAGGAAA1500               TGAGGTGTGGCTTGTAGAAGGAAACAGCCAAATTTTTTATAATGAAAAAGATGCTGAGGA1560               TGCAGCTAAACCCGCTGTAAGCAACGCTTATTTAGATGCTTCAAACCAGGTGCTGGTTAA1620               ACTTAGCCAGCCGTTAACTCTTGGGGAAGGNNNAAGCGGCTTTACGGTTCATGACGACAC1680               AGCAAATAAGGATATTCCAGTGACATCTGTGAAGGATGCAAGTCTTGGTCAAGATGTAAC1740               CGCTGTTTTGGCAGGTACCTTCCAACATATTTTTGGAGGTTCCGATTGGGCACCTGATAA1800               TCACAGTACTTTATTAAAAAAGGTGACTAACAATCTCTATCAATTCTCAGGAGATCTTCC1860               TGAAGGAAACTACCAATATAAAGTGGCTTTAAATGATAGCTGGAATAATCCGAGTTACCC1920               ATCTGACAACATTAATTTAACAGTCCCTGCCGGCGGTGCACACGTCACTTTTTCGTATAT1980               TCCGTCCACTCATGCAGTCTATGACACAATTAATAATCCTAATGCGGATTTACAAGTAGA2040               AAGCGGGGTTAAAACGGATCTCGTGACGGTTACTCTAGGGGAAGATCCAGATGTGAGCCA2100               TACTCTGTCCATTCAAACAGATGGCTATCAGGCAAAGCAGGTGATACCTCGTAATGTGCT2160               TAATTCATCACAGTACTACTATTCAGGAGATGATCTTGGGAATACCTATACACAGAAAGC2220               AACAACCTTTAAAGTCTGGGCACCAACTTCTACTCAAGTAAATGTTCTTCTTTATGACAG2280               TGCAACGGGTTCTGTAACAAAAATCGTACCTATGACGGCATCGGGCCATGGTGTGTGGGA2340               AGCAACGGTTAATCAAAACCTTGAAAATTGGTATTACATGTATGAGGTAACAGGCCAAGG2400               CTCTACCCGAACGGCTGTTGATCCTTATGCAACTGCGATTGCACCAAATGGAACGAGAGG2460               CATGATTGTGGACCTGGCTAAAACAGATCCTGCTGGCTGGAACAGTGATAAACATATTAC2520               GCCAAAGAATATAGAAGATGAGGTCATCTATGAAATGGATGTCCGTGACTTTTCCATTGA2580               CCCTAATTCGGGTATGAAAAATAAAGGGAAGTATTTGGCTCTTACAGAAAAAGGAACAAA2640               GGGCCCTGACAACGTAAAGACGGGGATAGATTCCTTAAAACAACTTGGGATTACTCATGT2700               TCAGCTTATGCCTGTTTTCGCATCTAACAGTGTCGATGAAACTGATCCAACCCAAGATAA2760               TTGGGGTTATGACCCTCGCAACTATGATGTTCCTGAAGGGCAGTATGCTACAAATGCGAA2820               TGGTAATGCTCGTATAAAAGAGTTTAAGGAAATGGTTCTTTCACTCCATCGTGAACACAT2880               TGGGGTTAACATGGATGTTGTCTATAATCATACCTTTGCCACGCAAATCTCTGACTTCGA2940               TAAAATTGTACCAGAATATTATTACCGTACGATGATGCAGGTAATTATACCAACGGATCA3000               GGTACTGGAAATGAAATTGCANGCNGAAAGGCCAATGGTTCAAAAATTTATTATTGATTC3060               CCTTAAGTATTGGGTCAATGAGTATCATATTGACGGCTTCCGTTTTGACTTAATGGCGCT3120               GCTTGGAAAAGACACGATGTCCAAAGCTGCCTCGGAGCTTCATGCTATTAATCCAGGAAT3180               TGCACTTTACGGTGAGCCATGGACGGGTGGAACCTCTGCACTGCCAGATGATCAGCTTCT3240               GACAAAAGGAGCTCAAAAAGGCATGGGAGTAGCGGTGTTTAATGACAATTTACGAAACGC3300               GTTGGACGGCAATGTCTTTGATTCTTCCGCTCAAGGTTTTGCGACAGGTGCAACAGGCTT3360               AACTGATGCAATTAAGAATGGCGTTGAGGGGAGTATTAATGACTTTACCTCTTCACCAGG3420               TGAGACAATTAACTATGTCACAAGTCATGATAACTACACCCTTTGGGACAAAATAGCCCT3480               AAGCAATCCTAATGATTCCGAAGCGGATCGGATTAAAATGGATGAACTCGCACAAGCAGT3540               TGTTATGACCTCACAAGGCGTTCCATTCATGCAAGGCGGGGAAGAAATGCTTCGTANAAA3600               AGGCGGCAACGACAATAGTTATAATGCAGGCGATGCGGTCAATGAGTTTGATTGGAGCAG3660               GAAAGCTCAATATCCAGATGTTTTCAACTATTATAGCGGGCTAATCCACCTTCGTCTTGA3720               TCACCCAGCCTTCCGCATGACGACAGCTAATGAAATCAATAGCCACCTCCAATTCCTAAA3780               TAGTCCAGAGAACACAGTGGCCTATGAATTAACTGATCATGTTAATAAAGACAAATGGGG3840               AAATATCATTGTTGTTTATAACCCAAATAAAACTGTAGCAACCATCAATTTGCCGAGCGG3900               GAAATGGGCAATCAATGCTACGAGCGGTAAGGTAGGAGAATCCACCCTTGGTCAAGCAGA3960               GGGAAGTGTCCAAGTACCAGGTATATCTATGATGATCCTTCATCAAGAGGTAAGCCCAGA4020               CCACGGTAAAAAGTAATAGAAAAAAGTAAAATCCCCTCAAGATGTTTGAGGGGGATTTAG4080               TTACTTATTATCCAATTAATTTGCGGCTTCGGTGTTTTCAATGGGCTCCGTATCCGTTCG4140               GTTGTGTGATCGGACAAATGGGAGTGAATAGGTCACAAGAGCAGCAGCCATTTCAAGCAG4200               ACCAGCGAAAGTAAACATTCGTTCTGGTGCAAATCGGGTCATCAACCAACCGGTAATTGC4260               TTGGGAAATAGGGATGGACCCTGACATCACGATAATCATAATACTAATAACACGACCGAA4320               TAACTTAGGTGGAATAAGCGTATGGTTAACGCTTGGAGCAATAATATTAACCGCCGTTTC4380               ATGAGCGCCAACAAGCACTAGAAGGGCTAAAATAACCCATAAGTTGTGTGTAAATCCTAT4440               AAAAAATAACATAAGGCCCTGCAG4464                                                   (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:9:                                               (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 4464 base pairs                                                    (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                         (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                       (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                           (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: genomic DNA                                                (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:9:                                        GGATCCTGTTAGACTATTTGAGGAGTTTGCAACACTTGATGTTTTATCCAAAGGAAGGGC60                 CGGAGATCATCGCTGGTCGAGGTGCTTTCGGTGAAGCATTTTCGCTATTTTGGGTATAAC120                CGGGCGCATTACGATCAATTGTTTGAAGAGCATCTTGATTTACTTCAAAAGCTGAATGCT180                TCGAAAAGAATAACATGGAGCGGGCTTTATCGAACACCTATACATGATGCAGATATCGCA240                CCCCGCCCTGTTCAGAAAAACATTCCTTTGTGGGTTGGGGTGGGTGGGACNMNTGAAASC300                NSYKCKYYGTGCRNVSNNNTATGGTGCCGGCTTAGCATGGGTATTTTGTCAGGCGATTGG360                CTTCGGTTTAAGGCACTTTCGGACCTTTATCGGCAGGCCGGCCAACAAGCANGGTATTCA420                CCGAACGATCTGAAAGTAGGAGTGACAGGGCATGCGTTTATTGGAAAGACGTCGCAGCAG480                GCACTCAATGACTATTACCCCTATCACGCGAATTATTGGCTAACACTGAACCAACAATTA540                GGGCAGCCGTTACCCCAGCAATACGTGAGGGAATTTAATTTATTAGCCTCCCCAGAGCAA600                GCCTTATATGTGGGAAGCTCTCAACAAGTGGGCAGGNAAAAATTTTGCGCCAACATGAGG660                NATTTGGTNATAAACGTTTTATCGCACAGATCGACATTGGCGGAATGCCCTTTAAAACAG720                TGGCCAAGAATATTGAGCGGTTAGGCCACTGAGGTTGCACCTGTCGTACGAAGAGCAACA780                AGAGGGTAATGGTAATAATCTATTTAACTGTTTATTAGAAAACTTGGTATCTGTTTAATT840                AAATAACAGGAGCCTGGAAGTGGGCCAAGGCTCCTTTCTAGGGAAACCTTTTTCTATTTA900                TATAGGCGTTGTTGCCTAAGGCTAAAGTAGGATTTTATTAAAAATATAGGAATTGCTCTT960                TTATTCGACACAATTATTCAATGGAATACGATAAAATGGAGAGTGTATGTAAGCGTTATA1020               TTTTATTGGGGGGCTGATAGAAGAAAAGGGATGCGACAGGGTCTATTAGCTAGTTTGGTA1080               TTCGATTTCAGATCAATGCAACGTACGAGTTTTTTATTGACTGCTTTGTGCAAGCGATTG1140               CATTGAAACAAAGGAGGACATTATGGCTAAAAAACTAATTTATGTGTGT1189                          MetAlaLysLysLeuIleTyrValCys                                                    25                                                                             TTAAGTGTTTGTTTAGTGTTGACCTGGGCTTTTAATGTAAAAGGGCAA1237                           LeuSerValCysLeuValLeuThrTrpAlaPheAsnValLysGlyGln                               20-15-10- 5                                                                    TCTGCTCATGCTGATGGGAACACGACAACGATCATTGTCCACTATTTT1285                           SerAlaHisAlaAspGlyAsnThrThrThrIleIleValHisTyrPhe                               1+1510                                                                         TGCCCTGCTGGTGATTATCAACCTTGGAGTCTATGGATGTGGCCAAAA1333                           CysProAlaGlyAspTyrGlnProTrpSerLeuTrpMetTrpProLys                               152025                                                                         GACGGAGGTGGGGCTGAATACGATTTCAATCAACCGGCTGACTCTTTT1381                           AspGlyGlyGlyAlaGluTyrAspPheAsnGlnProAlaAspSerPhe                               303540                                                                         GGAGCTGTTGCAAGTGCTGATATTCCAGGAAACCCAAGTCAGGTAGGA1429                           GlyAlaValAlaSerAlaAspIleProGlyAsnProSerGlnValGly                               45505560                                                                       ATTATCGTTCGCACTCAAGATTGGACCAAAGATGTGAGCGCTGACCGC1477                           IleIleValArgThrGlnAspTrpThrLysAspValSerAlaAspArg                               657075                                                                         TACATAGATTTAAGCAAAGGAAATGAGGTGTGGCTTGTAGAAGGAAAC1525                           TyrIleAspLeuSerLysGlyAsnGluValTrpLeuValGluGlyAsn                               808590                                                                         AGCCAAATTTTTTATAATGAAAAAGATGCTGAGGATGCAGCTAAACCC1573                           SerGlnIlePheTyrAsnGluLysAspAlaGluAspAlaAlaLysPro                               95100105                                                                       GCTGTAAGCAACGCTTATTTAGATGCTTCAAACCAGGTGCTGGTTAAA1621                           AlaValSerAsnAlaTyrLeuAspAlaSerAsnGlnValLeuValLys                               110115120                                                                      CTTAGCCAGCCGTTAACTCTTGGGGAAGGNNNAAGCGGCTTTACGGTT1669                           LeuSerGlnProLeuThrLeuGlyGluGlyXaaSerGlyPheThrVal                               125130135140                                                                   CATGACGACACAGCAAATAAGGATATTCCAGTGACATCTGTGAAGGAT1717                           HisAspAspThrAlaAsnLysAspIleProValThrSerValLysAsp                               145150155                                                                      GCAAGTCTTGGTCAAGATGTAACCGCTGTTTTGGCAGGTACCTTCCAA1765                           AlaSerLeuGlyGlnAspValThrAlaValLeuAlaGlyThrPheGln                               160165170                                                                      CATATTTTTGGAGGTTCCGATTGGGCACCTGATAATCACAGTACTTTA1813                           HisIlePheGlyGlySerAspTrpAlaProAspAsnHisSerThrLeu                               175180185                                                                      TTAAAAAAGGTGACTAACAATCTCTATCAATTCTCAGGAGATCTTCCT1861                           LeuLysLysValThrAsnAsnLeuTyrGlnPheSerGlyAspLeuPro                               190195200                                                                      GAAGGAAACTACCAATATAAAGTGGCTTTAAATGATAGCTGGAATAAT1909                           GluGlyAsnTyrGlnTyrLysValAlaLeuAsnAspSerTrpAsnAsn                               205210215220                                                                   CCGAGTTACCCATCTGACAACATTAATTTAACAGTCCCTGCCGGCGGT1957                           ProSerTyrProSerAspAsnIleAsnLeuThrValProAlaGlyGly                               225230235                                                                      GCACACGTCACTTTTTCGTATATTCCGTCCACTCATGCAGTCTATGAC2005                           AlaHisValThrPheSerTyrIleProSerThrHisAlaValTyrAsp                               240245250                                                                      ACAATTAATAATCCTAATGCGGATTTACAAGTAGAAAGCGGGGTTAAA2053                           ThrIleAsnAsnProAsnAlaAspLeuGlnValGluSerGlyValLys                               255260265                                                                      ACGGATCTCGTGACGGTTACTCTAGGGGAAGATCCAGATGTGAGCCAT2101                           ThrAspLeuValThrValThrLeuGlyGluAspProAspValSerHis                               270275280                                                                      ACTCTGTCCATTCAAACAGATGGCTATCAGGCAAAGCAGGTGATACCT2149                           ThrLeuSerIleGlnThrAspGlyTyrGlnAlaLysGlnValIlePro                               285290295300                                                                   CGTAATGTGCTTAATTCATCACAGTACTACTATTCAGGAGATGATCTT2197                           ArgAsnValLeuAsnSerSerGlnTyrTyrTyrSerGlyAspAspLeu                               305310315                                                                      GGGAATACCTATACACAGAAAGCAACAACCTTTAAAGTCTGGGCACCA2245                           GlyAsnThrTyrThrGlnLysAlaThrThrPheLysValTrpAlaPro                               320325330                                                                      ACTTCTACTCAAGTAAATGTTCTTCTTTATGACAGTGCAACGGGTTCT2293                           ThrSerThrGlnValAsnValLeuLeuTyrAspSerAlaThrGlySer                               335340345                                                                      GTAACAAAAATCGTACCTATGACGGCATCGGGCCATGGTGTGTGGGAA2341                           ValThrLysIleValProMetThrAlaSerGlyHisGlyValTrpGlu                               350355360                                                                      GCAACGGTTAATCAAAACCTTGAAAATTGGTATTACATGTATGAGGTA2389                           AlaThrValAsnGlnAsnLeuGluAsnTrpTyrTyrMetTyrGluVal                               365370375380                                                                   ACAGGCCAAGGCTCTACCCGAACGGCTGTTGATCCTTATGCAACTGCG2437                           ThrGlyGlnGlySerThrArgThrAlaValAspProTyrAlaThrAla                               385390395                                                                      ATTGCACCAAATGGAACGAGAGGCATGATTGTGGACCTGGCTAAAACA2485                           IleAlaProAsnGlyThrArgGlyMetIleValAspLeuAlaLysThr                               400405410                                                                      GATCCTGCTGGCTGGAACAGTGATAAACATATTACGCCAAAGAATATA2533                           AspProAlaGlyTrpAsnSerAspLysHisIleThrProLysAsnIle                               415420425                                                                      GAAGATGAGGTCATCTATGAAATGGATGTCCGTGACTTTTCCATTGAC2581                           GluAspGluValIleTyrGluMetAspValArgAspPheSerIleAsp                               430435440                                                                      CCTAATTCGGGTATGAAAAATAAAGGGAAGTATTTGGCTCTTACAGAA2629                           ProAsnSerGlyMetLysAsnLysGlyLysTyrLeuAlaLeuThrGlu                               445450455460                                                                   AAAGGAACAAAGGGCCCTGACAACGTAAAGACGGGGATAGATTCCTTA2677                           LysGlyThrLysGlyProAspAsnValLysThrGlyIleAspSerLeu                               465470475                                                                      AAACAACTTGGGATTACTCATGTTCAGCTTATGCCTGTTTTCGCATCT2725                           LysGlnLeuGlyIleThrHisValGlnLeuMetProValPheAlaSer                               480485490                                                                      AACAGTGTCGATGAAACTGATCCAACCCAAGATAATTGGGGTTATGAC2773                           AsnSerValAspGluThrAspProThrGlnAspAsnTrpGlyTyrAsp                               495500505                                                                      CCTCGCAACTATGATGTTCCTGAAGGGCAGTATGCTACAAATGCGAAT2821                           ProArgAsnTyrAspValProGluGlyGlnTyrAlaThrAsnAlaAsn                               510515520                                                                      GGTAATGCTCGTATAAAAGAGTTTAAGGAAATGGTTCTTTCACTCCAT2869                           GlyAsnAlaArgIleLysGluPheLysGluMetValLeuSerLeuHis                               525530535540                                                                   CGTGAACACATTGGGGTTAACATGGATGTTGTCTATAATCATACCTTT2917                           ArgGluHisIleGlyValAsnMetAspValValTyrAsnHisThrPhe                               545550555                                                                      GCCACGCAAATCTCTGACTTCGATAAAATTGTACCAGAATATTATTAC2965                           AlaThrGlnIleSerAspPheAspLysIleValProGluTyrTyrTyr                               560565570                                                                      CGTACGATGATGCAGGTAATTATACCAACGGATCAGGTACTGGAAATG3013                           ArgThrMetMetGlnVaLIleIleProThrAspGlnValLeuGluMet                               575580585                                                                      AAATTGCANGCNGAAAGGCCAATGGTTCAAAAATTTATTATTGATTCC3061                           LysLeuXaaAlaGluArgProMetValGlnLysPheIleIleAspSer                               590595600                                                                      CTTAAGTATTGGGTCAATGAGTATCATATTGACGGCTTCCGTTTTGAC3109                           LeuLysTyrTrpValAsnGluTyrHisIleAspGlyPheArgPheAsp                               605610615620                                                                   TTAATGGCGCTGCTTGGAAAAGACACGATGTCCAAAGCTGCCTCGGAG3157                           LeuMetAlaLeuLeuGlyLysAspThrMetSerLysAlaAlaSerGlu                               625630635                                                                      CTTCATGCTATTAATCCAGGAATTGCACTTTACGGTGAGCCATGGACG3205                           LeuHisAlaIleAsnProGlyIleAlaLeuTyrGlyGluProTrpThr                               640645650                                                                      GGTGGAACCTCTGCACTGCCAGATGATCAGCTTCTGACAAAAGGAGCT3253                           GlyGlyThrSerAlaLeuProAspAspGlnLeuLeuThrLysGlyAla                               655660665                                                                      CAAAAAGGCATGGGAGTAGCGGTGTTTAATGACAATTTACGAAACGCG3301                           GlnLysGlyMetGlyValAlaValPheAsnAspAsnLeuArgAsnAla                               670675680                                                                      TTGGACGGCAATGTCTTTGATTCTTCCGCTCAAGGTTTTGCGACAGGT3349                           LeuAspGlyAsnValPheAspSerSerAlaGlnGlyPheAlaThrGly                               685690695700                                                                   GCAACAGGCTTAACTGATGCAATTAAGAATGGCGTTGAGGGGAGTATT3397                           AlaThrGlyLeuThrAspAlaIleLysAsnGlyValGluGlySerIle                               705710715                                                                      AATGACTTTACCTCTTCACCAGGTGAGACAATTAACTATGTCACAAGT3445                           AsnAspPheThrSerSerProGlyGluThrIleAsnTyrValThrSer                               720725730                                                                      CATGATAACTACACCCTTTGGGACAAAATAGCCCTAAGCAATCCTAAT3493                           HisAspAsnTyrThrLeuTrpAspLysIleAlaLeuSerAsnProAsn                               735740745                                                                      GATTCCGAAGCGGATCGGATTAAAATGGATGAACTCGCACAAGCAGTT3541                           AspSerGluAlaAspArgIleLysMetAspGluLeuAlaGlnAlaVal                               750755760                                                                      GTTATGACCTCACAAGGCGTTCCATTCATGCAAGGCGGGGAAGAAATG3589                           ValMetThrSerGlnGlyValProPheMetGlnGlyGlyGluGluMet                               765770775780                                                                   CTTCGTANAAAAGGCGGCAACGACAATAGTTATAATGCAGGCGATGCG3637                           LeuArgXaaLysGlyGlyAsnAspAsnSerTyrAsnAlaGlyAspAla                               785790795                                                                      GTCAATGAGTTTGATTGGAGCAGGAAAGCTCAATATCCAGATGTTTTC3685                           ValAsnGluPheAspTrpSerArgLysAlaGlnTyrProAspValPhe                               800805810                                                                      AACTATTATAGCGGGCTAATCCACCTTCGTCTTGATCACCCAGCCTTC3733                           AsnTyrTyrSerGlyLeuIleHisLeuArgLeuAspHisProAlaPhe                               815820825                                                                      CGCATGACGACAGCTAATGAAATCAATAGCCACCTCCAATTCCTAAAT3781                           ArgMetThrThrAlaAsnGluIleAsnSerHisLeuGlnPheLeuAsn                               830835840                                                                      AGTCCAGAGAACACAGTGGCCTATGAATTAACTGATCATGTTAATAAA3829                           SerProGluAsnThrValAlaTyrGluLeuThrAspHisValAsnLys                               845850855860                                                                   GACAAATGGGGAAATATCATTGTTGTTTATAACCCAAATAAAACTGTA3877                           AspLysTrpGlyAsnIleIleValValTyrAsnProAsnLysThrVal                               865870875                                                                      GCAACCATCAATTTGCCGAGCGGGAAATGGGCAATCAATGCTACGAGC3925                           AlaThrIleAsnLeuProSerGlyLysTrpAlaIleAsnAlaThrSer                               880885890                                                                      GGTAAGGTAGGAGAATCCACCCTTGGTCAAGCAGAGGGAAGTGTCCAA3973                           GlyLysValGlyGluSerThrLeuGlyGlnAlaGluGlySerValGln                               895900905                                                                      GTACCAGGTATATCTATGATGATCCTTCATCAAGAGGTAAGCCCAGAC4021                           ValProGlyIleSerMetMetIleLeuHisGlnGluValSerProAsp                               910915920                                                                      CACGGTAAAAAGTAATAGAAAAAAGTAAAATCCCCTCAAGATGTTTGAGGGG4073                       HisGlyLysLys                                                                   925                                                                            GATTTAGTTACTTATTATCCAATTAATTTGCGGCTTCGGTGTTTTCAATGGGCTCCGTAT4133               CCGTTCGGTTGTGTGATCGGACAAATGGGAGTGAATAGGTCACAAGAGCAGCAGCCATTT4193               CAAGCAGACCAGCGAAAGTAAACATTCGTTCTGGTGCAAATCGGGTCATCAACCAACCGG4253               TAATTGCTTGGGAAATAGGGATGGACCCTGACATCACGATAATCATAATACTAATAACAC4313               GACCGAATAACTTAGGTGGAATAAGCGTATGGTTAACGCTTGGAGCAATAATATTAACCG4373               CCGTTTCATGAGCGCCAACAAGCACTAGAAGGGCTAAAATAACCCATAAGTTGTGTGTAA4433               ATCCTATAAAAAATAACATAAGGCCCTGCAG4464                                            (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:10:                                              (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 2784 base pairs                                                    (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                         (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                       (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                           (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: genomic DNA                                                (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:10:                                       GATGGGAACACGACAACGATCATTGTCCACTATTTTTGCCCTGCTGGTGATTATCAACCT60                 TGGAGTCTATGGATGTGGCCAAAAGACGGAGGTGGGGCTGAATACGATTTCAATCAACCG120                GCTGACTCTTTTGGAGCTGTTGCAAGTGCTGATATTCCAGGAAACCCAAGTCAGGTAGGA180                ATTATCGTTCGCACTCAAGATTGGACCAAAGATGTGAGCGCTGACCGCTACATAGATTTA240                AGCAAAGGAAATGAGGTGTGGCTTGTAGAAGGAAACAGCCAAATTTTTTATAATGAAAAA300                GATGCTGAGGATGCAGCTAAACCCGCTGTAAGCAACGCTTATTTAGATGCTTCAAACCAG360                GTGCTGGTTAAACTTAGCCAGCCGTTAACTCTTGGGGAAGGNNNAAGCGGCTTTACGGTT420                CATGACGACACAGCAAATAAGGATATTCCAGTGACATCTGTGAAGGATGCAAGTCTTGGT480                CAAGATGTAACCGCTGTTTTGGCAGGTACCTTCCAACATATTTTTGGAGGTTCCGATTGG540                GCACCTGATAATCACAGTACTTTATTAAAAAAGGTGACTAACAATCTCTATCAATTCTCA600                GGAGATCTTCCTGAAGGAAACTACCAATATAAAGTGGCTTTAAATGATAGCTGGAATAAT660                CCGAGTTACCCATCTGACAACATTAATTTAACAGTCCCTGCCGGCGGTGCACACGTCACT720                TTTTCGTATATTCCGTCCACTCATGCAGTCTATGACACAATTAATAATCCTAATGCGGAT780                TTACAAGTAGAAAGCGGGGTTAAAACGGATCTCGTGACGGTTACTCTAGGGGAAGATCCA840                GATGTGAGCCATACTCTGTCCATTCAAACAGATGGCTATCAGGCAAAGCAGGTGATACCT900                CGTAATGTGCTTAATTCATCACAGTACTACTATTCAGGAGATGATCTTGGGAATACCTAT960                ACACAGAAAGCAACAACCTTTAAAGTCTGGGCACCAACTTCTACTCAAGTAAATGTTCTT1020               CTTTATGACAGTGCAACGGGTTCTGTAACAAAAATCGTACCTATGACGGCATCGGGCCAT1080               GGTGTGTGGGAAGCAACGGTTAATCAAAACCTTGAAAATTGGTATTACATGTATGAGGTA1140               ACAGGCCAAGGCTCTACCCGAACGGCTGTTGATCCTTATGCAACTGCGATTGCACCAAAT1200               GGAACGAGAGGCATGATTGTGGACCTGGCTAAAACAGATCCTGCTGGCTGGAACAGTGAT1260               AAACATATTACGCCAAAGAATATAGAAGATGAGGTCATCTATGAAATGGATGTCCGTGAC1320               TTTTCCATTGACCCTAATTCGGGTATGAAAAATAAAGGGAAGTATTTGGCTCTTACAGAA1380               AAAGGAACAAAGGGCCCTGACAACGTAAAGACGGGGATAGATTCCTTAAAACAACTTGGG1440               ATTACTCATGTTCAGCTTATGCCTGTTTTCGCATCTAACAGTGTCGATGAAACTGATCCA1500               ACCCAAGATAATTGGGGTTATGACCCTCGCAACTATGATGTTCCTGAAGGGCAGTATGCT1560               ACAAATGCGAATGGTAATGCTCGTATAAAAGAGTTTAAGGAAATGGTTCTTTCACTCCAT1620               CGTGAACACATTGGGGTTAACATGGATGTTGTCTATAATCATACCTTTGCCACGCAAATC1680               TCTGACTTCGATAAAATTGTACCAGAATATTATTACCGTACGATGATGCAGGTAATTATA1740               CCAACGGATCAGGTACTGGAAATGAAATTGCANGCNGAAAGGCCAATGGTTCAAAAATTT1800               ATTATTGATTCCCTTAAGTATTGGGTCAATGAGTATCATATTGACGGCTTCCGTTTTGAC1860               TTAATGGCGCTGCTTGGAAAAGACACGATGTCCAAAGCTGCCTCGGAGCTTCATGCTATT1920               AATCCAGGAATTGCACTTTACGGTGAGCCATGGACGGGTGGAACCTCTGCACTGCCAGAT1980               GATCAGCTTCTGACAAAAGGAGCTCAAAAAGGCATGGGAGTAGCGGTGTTTAATGACAAT2040               TTACGAAACGCGTTGGACGGCAATGTCTTTGATTCTTCCGCTCAAGGTTTTGCGACAGGT2100               GCAACAGGCTTAACTGATGCAATTAAGAATGGCGTTGAGGGGAGTATTAATGACTTTACC2160               TCTTCACCAGGTGAGACAATTAACTATGTCACAAGTCATGATAACTACACCCTTTGGGAC2220               AAAATAGCCCTAAGCAATCCTAATGATTCCGAAGCGGATCGGATTAAAATGGATGAACTC2280               GCACAAGCAGTTGTTATGACCTCACAAGGCGTTCCATTCATGCAAGGCGGGGAAGAAATG2340               CTTCGTANAAAAGGCGGCAACGACAATAGTTATAATGCAGGCGATGCGGTCAATGAGTTT2400               GATTGGAGCAGGAAAGCTCAATATCCAGATGTTTTCAACTATTATAGCGGGCTAATCCAC2460               CTTCGTCTTGATCACCCAGCCTTCCGCATGACGACAGCTAATGAAATCAATAGCCACCTC2520               CAATTCCTAAATAGTCCAGAGAACACAGTGGCCTATGAATTAACTGATCATGTTAATAAA2580               GACAAATGGGGAAATATCATTGTTGTTTATAACCCAAATAAAACTGTAGCAACCATCAAT2640               TTGCCGAGCGGGAAATGGGCAATCAATGCTACGAGCGGTAAGGTAGGAGAATCCACCCTT2700               GGTCAAGCAGAGGGAAGTGTCCAAGTACCAGGTATATCTATGATGATCCTTCATCAAGAG2760               GTAAGCCCAGACCACGGTAAAAAG2784                                                   (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:11:                                              (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 928 amino acids                                                    (B) TYPE: amino acids                                                          (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                           (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: protein                                                    (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:11:                                       AspGlyAsnThrThrThrIleIleValHisTyrPheCysProAlaGly                               151015                                                                         AspTyrGlnProTrpSerLeuTrpMetTrpProLysAspGlyGlyGly                               202530                                                                         AlaGluTyrAspPheAsnGlnProAlaAspSerPheGlyAlaValAla                               354045                                                                         SerAlaAspIleProGlyAsnProSerGlnValGlyIleIleValArg                               505560                                                                         ThrGlnAspTrpThrLysAspValSerAlaAspArgTyrIleAspLeu                               65707580                                                                       SerLysGlyAsnGluValTrpLeuValGluGlyAsnSerGlnIlePhe                               859095                                                                         TyrAsnGluLysAspAlaGluAspAlaAlaLysProAlaValSerAsn                               100105110                                                                      AlaTyrLeuAspAlaSerAsnGlnValLeuValLysLeuSerGlnPro                               115120125                                                                      LeuThrLeuGlyGluGlyXaaSerGlyPheThrValHisAspAspThr                               130135140                                                                      AlaAsnLysAspIleProValThrSerValLysAspAlaSerLeuGly                               145150155160                                                                   GlnAspValThrAlaValLeuAlaGlyThrPheGlnHisIlePheGly                               165170175                                                                      GlySerAspTrpAlaProAspAsnHisSerThrLeuLeuLysLysVal                               180185190                                                                      ThrAsnAsnLeuTyrGlnPheSerGlyAspLeuProGluGlyAsnTyr                               195200205                                                                      GlnTyrLysValAlaLeuAsnAspSerTrpAsnAsnProSerTyrPro                               210215220                                                                      SerAspAsnIleAsnLeuThrValProAlaGlyGlyAlaHisValThr                               225230235240                                                                   PheSerTyrIleProSerThrHisAlaValTyrAspThrIleAsnAsn                               245250255                                                                      ProAsnAlaAspLeuGlnValGluSerGlyValLysThrAspLeuVal                               260265270                                                                      ThrValThrLeuGlyGluAspProAspValSerHisThrLeuSerIle                               275280285                                                                      GlnThrAspGlyTyrGlnAlaLysGlnValIleProArgAsnValLeu                               290295300                                                                      AsnSerSerGlnTyrTyrTyrSerGlyAspAspLeuGlyAsnThrTyr                               305310315320                                                                   ThrGlnLysAlaThrThrPheLysValTrpAlaProThrSerThrGln                               325330335                                                                      ValAsnValLeuLeuTyrAspSerAlaThrGlySerValThrLysIle                               340345350                                                                      ValProMetThrAlaSerGlyHisGlyValTrpGluAlaThrValAsn                               355360365                                                                      GlnAsnLeuGluAsnTrpTyrTyrMetTyrGluValThrGlyGlnGly                               370375380                                                                      SerThrArgThrAlaValAspProTyrAlaThrAlaIleAlaProAsn                               385390395400                                                                   GlyThrArgGlyMetIleValAspLeuAlaLysThrAspProAlaGly                               405410415                                                                      TrpAsnSerAspLysHisIleThrProLysAsnIleGluAspGluVal                               420425430                                                                      IleTyrGluMetAspValArgAspPheSerIleAspProAsnSerGly                               435440445                                                                      MetLysAsnLysGlyLysTyrLeuAlaLeuThrGluLysGlyThrLys                               450455460                                                                      GlyProAspAsnValLysThrGlyIleAspSerLeuLysGlnLeuGly                               465470475480                                                                   IleThrHisValGlnLeuMetProValPheAlaSerAsnSerValAsp                               485490495                                                                      GluThrAspProThrGlnAspAsnTrpGlyTyrAspProArgAsnTyr                               500505510                                                                      AspValProGluGlyGlnTyrAlaThrAsnAlaAsnGlyAsnAlaArg                               515520525                                                                      IleLysGluPheLysGluMetValLeuSerLeuHisArgGluHisIle                               530535540                                                                      GlyValAsnMetAspValValTyrAsnHisThrPheAlaThrGlnIle                               545550555560                                                                   SerAspPheAspLysIleValProGluTyrTyrTyrArgThrMetMet                               565570575                                                                      GlnValIleIleProThrAspGlnValLeuGluMetLysLeuXaaAla                               580585590                                                                      GluArgProMetValGlnLysPheIleIleAspSerLeuLysTyrTrp                               595600605                                                                      ValAsnGluTyrHisIleAspGlyPheArgPheAspLeuMetAlaLeu                               610615620                                                                      LeuGlyLysAspThrMetSerLysAlaAlaSerGluLeuHisAlaIle                               625630635640                                                                   AsnProGlyIleAlaLeuTyrGlyGluProTrpThrGlyGlyThrSer                               645650655                                                                      AlaLeuProAspAspGlnLeuLeuThrLysGlyAlaGlnLysGlyMet                               660665670                                                                      GlyValAlaValPheAsnAspAsnLeuArgAsnAlaLeuAspGlyAsn                               675680685                                                                      ValPheAspSerSerAlaGlnGlyPheAlaThrGlyAlaThrGlyLeu                               690695700                                                                      ThrAspAlaIleLysAsnGlyValGluGlySerIleAsnAspPheThr                               705710715720                                                                   SerSerProGlyGluThrIleAsnTyrValThrSerHisAspAsnTyr                               725730735                                                                      ThrLeuTrpAspLysIleAlaLeuSerAsnProAsnAspSerGluAla                               740745750                                                                      AspArgIleLysMetAspGluLeuAlaGlnAlaValValMetThrSer                               755760765                                                                      GlnGlyValProPheMetGlnGlyGlyGluGluMetLeuArgXaaLys                               770775780                                                                      GlyGlyAsnAspAsnSerTyrAsnAlaGlyAspAlaValAsnGluPhe                               785790795800                                                                   AspTrpSerArgLysAlaGlnTyrProAspValPheAsnTyrTyrSer                               805810815                                                                      GlyLeuIleHisLeuArgLeuAspHisProAlaPheArgMetThrThr                               820825830                                                                      AlaAsnGluIleAsnSerHisLeuGlnPheLeuAsnSerProGluAsn                               835840845                                                                      ThrValAlaTyrGluLeuThrAspHisValAsnLysAspLysTrpGly                               850855860                                                                      AsnIleIleValValTyrAsnProAsnLysThrValAlaThrIleAsn                               865870875880                                                                   LeuProSerGlyLysTrpAlaIleAsnAlaThrSerGlyLysValGly                               885890895                                                                      GluSerThrLeuGlyGlnAlaGluGlySerValGlnValProGlyIle                               900905910                                                                      SerMetMetIleLeuHisGlnGluValSerProAspHisGlyLysLys                               915920925                                                                      (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:12:                                              (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 29 amino acids                                                     (B) TYPE: amino acid                                                           (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                           (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide                                                    (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:12:                                       MetAlaLysLysLeuIleTyrValCysLeuSerValCysLeuValLeu                               25-20-15                                                                       ThrTrpAlaPheAsnValLysGlyGlnSerAlaHisAla                                        10- 5-1                                                                        (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:13:                                              (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 87 base pairs                                                      (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                         (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                       (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                           (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: nucleic acid                                               (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:13:                                       ATGGCTAAAAAACTAATTTATGTGTGTTTAAGTGTTTGTTTAGTGTTG48                             MetAlaLysLysLeuIleTyrValCysLeuSerValCysLeuValLeu                               25-20-15                                                                       ACCTGGGCTTTTAATGTAAAAGGGCAATCTGCTCATGCT87                                      ThrTrpAlaPheAsnValLysGlyGlnSerAlaHisAla                                        10-5-1                                                                         (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:14:                                              (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 1162 base pairs                                                    (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                         (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                       (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                           (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: nucleic acid                                               (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:14:                                       GGATCCTGTTAGACTATTTGAGGAGTTTGCAACACTTGATGTTTTATCCAAAGGAAGGGC60                 CGGAGATCATCGCTGGTCGAGGTGCTTTCGGTGAAGCATTTTCGCTATTTTGGGTATAAC120                CGGGCGCATTACGATCAATTGTTTGAAGAGCATCTTGATTTACTTCAAAAGCTGAATGCT180                TCGAAAAGAATAACATGGAGCGGGCTTTATCGAACACCTATACATGATGCAGATATCGCA240                CCCCGCCCTGTTCAGAAAAACATTCCTTTGTGGGTTGGGGTGGGTGGGACNMNTGAAASC300                NSYKCKYYGTGCRNVSNNNTATGGTGCCGGCTTAGCATGGGTATTTTGTCAGGCGATTGG360                CTTCGGTTTAAGGCACTTTCGGACCTTTATCGGCAGGCCGGCCAACAAGCANGGTATTCA420                CCGAACGATCTGAAAGTAGGAGTGACAGGGCATGCGTTTATTGGAAAGACGTCGCAGCAG480                GCACTCAATGACTATTACCCCTATCACGCGAATTATTGGCTAACACTGAACCAACAATTA540                GGGCAGCCGTTACCCCAGCAATACGTGAGGGAATTTAATTTATTAGCCTCCCCAGAGCAA600                GCCTTATATGTGGGAAGCTCTCAACAAGTGGGCAGGNAAAAATTTTGCGCCAACATGAGG660                NATTTGGTNATAAACGTTTTATCGCACAGATCGACATTGGCGGAATGCCCTTTAAAACAG720                TGGCCAAGAATATTGAGCGGTTAGGCCACTGAGGTTGCACCTGTCGTACGAAGAGCAACA780                AGAGGGTAATGGTAATAATCTATTTAACTGTTTATTAGAAAACTTGGTATCTGTTTAATT840                AAATAACAGGAGCCTGGAAGTGGGCCAAGGCTCCTTTCTAGGGAAACCTTTTTCTATTTA900                TATAGGCGTTGTTGCCTAAGGCTAAAGTAGGATTTTATTAAAAATATAGGAATTGCTCTT960                TTATTCGACACAATTATTCAATGGAATACGATAAAATGGAGAGTGTATGTAAGCGTTATA1020               TTTTATTGGGGGGCTGATAGAAGAAAAGGGATGCGACAGGGTCTATTAGCTAGTTTGGTA1080               TTCGATTTCAGATCAATGCAACGTACGAGTTTTTTATTGACTGCTTTGTGCAAGCGATTG1140               CATTGAAACAAAGGAGGACATT1162                                                     (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:15:                                              (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 431 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                         (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                       (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                           (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: nucleic acid                                               (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:15:                                       TAATAGAAAAAAGTAAAATCCCCTCAAGATGTTTGAGGGGGATTTAGTTACTTATTATCC60                 AATTAATTTGCGGCTTCGGTGTTTTCAATGGGCTCCGTATCCGTTCGGTTGTGTGATCGG120                ACAAATGGGAGTGAATAGGTCACAAGAGCAGCAGCCATTTCAAGCAGACCAGCGAAAGTA180                AACATTCGTTCTGGTGCAAATCGGGTCATCAACCAACCGGTAATTGCTTGGGAAATAGGG240                ATGGACCCTGACATCACGATAATCATAATACTAATAACACGACCGAATAACTTAGGTGGA300                ATAAGCGTATGGTTAACGCTTGGAGCAATAATATTAACCGCCGTTTCATGAGCGCCAACA360                AGCACTAGAAGGGCTAAAATAACCCATAAGTTGTGTGTAAATCCTATAAAAAATAACATA420                AGGCCCTGCAG431                                                                 __________________________________________________________________________ 

We claim:
 1. Isolated pullulanase obtained from the species Bacillus deramificans or a derivative or a mutant thereof that retains all identifying characteristics of said species, wherein the pullulanase obtained from said species or said derivative or said mutant catalyzes hydrolysis of α-1,6-glucosidic bonds and comprises an N-terminal sequence (SEQ ID NO:1) as follows, in the aminocarboxyl sense and from left to right: ##STR4##
 2. Isolated and purified pullulanase comprising the amino acid sequence illustrated in FIG. 4 (SEQ ID NO:11) from amino acid 1 to 928 or a modified sequence derived therefrom, wherein said modified sequence catalyzes hydrolysis of α-1,6-glucosidic bonds.
 3. Isolated and purified pullulanase according to claim 2, wherein said pullulanase is synthesized in the form of a precursor containing an additional sequence of 29 amino acids (SEQ ID NO:12).
 4. Isolated pullulanase heterologously produced by a microorganism of the genus Bacillus containing a gene which codes for an alkaline protease in the wild state, said gene having been deleted from the microorganism of the genus Bacillus, wherein said pullulanase has an N-terminal sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO:1.
 5. Isolated pullulanase obtained from a transformed strain of Bacillus licheniformis comprising an isolated DNA molecule encoding a pullulanase of Bacillus deramificans of a nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:10 or a modified sequence derived therefrom, wherein said modified sequence catalyzes hydrolysis of α-1,6-glucosidic bonds.
 6. Isolated pullulanase obtained from a transformed strain of Bacillus licheniformis comprising an expression vector or a chromosomal integration vector containing an isolated DNA molecule encoding a pullulanase of Bacillus deramificans of a nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:10 or a modified sequence derived therefrom, wherein said modified sequence catalyzes hydrolysis of α-1,6-glucosidic bonds.
 7. Isolated pullulanase obtained from a transformed strain of Bacillus licheniformis comprising expression vector pUBDEBRA1 or chromosomal integration vector pUBCDEBRA11DNSI.
 8. Isolated pullulanase obtained from the strain Bacillus deramificans T 89.117D (LMG P-13056) or a derivative or a mutant of said strain that retains all identifying characteristics of said strain, wherein the pullulanase obtained from said strain or said derivative or said mutant catalyzes hydrolysis of α-1,6-glucosidic bonds.
 9. Isolated pullulanase obtained from a microorganism of the genus species Bacillus deramificans that in the wild state contains a gene which codes for an alkaline protease, said gene having been deleted from the microorganism of the genus species Bacillus deramificans, wherein said pullulanase has an N-terminal sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO:1. 